Harvard Can Wait
by Tongue-Twied
Summary: Growing up, Bella and Edward learn that being able to be yourself is 50% about where you are and 50% about who you are with. Short, One-shot length. E/B/the Handsome Man *Nominated for Fic of the Week at The Lemonade Stand 3 times*
1. Prologue

**A/N: I started this story over a year ago. I showed the beginnings of it to my fav FF/all-things-Rob enthusiast Robmusement (itsjustme1217)**** at that point ****and explained a bit of the idea. She, of course, was very encouraging but I got busy and only worked on this sporadically. **

**Then during the fall, The Lovely TwiWeasel 'discovered' my Halloween one shot and we had a good little discussion about writing. This story was half written so I asked her if she wanted to read it. She came back to me with her fist in the air threatening me that she was now invested in the story and I had better finish it so she knew how it ended. So I did, with a little help from her. ;) And I'm fairly proud of how it turned out. In fact, I thought about entering it into a contest, but haven't seen the right one for it.**

**My wonderful pre-readers have all assured me this story is fit for the public. I will reveal them later, but thanks in advance to them. **

**This won't be a true drabble, just a one shot I decided to break up and post daily to weekly depending on my schedule, with the hopes of ending certain chapters with unbearable cliffhangers. I'm evil that way! TorTure is my middle name. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Prologue 

__Without being home to witness it, we might never know there had been a power outage, that is, until we look at our clocks. Even the quickest interruption will cause all of the clocks in our homes to stop and then restart. Once we realize what has happened, we go around and reset all of the clocks.__

__Accurate time is essential in our lives.__

__If destiny was a clock that tracked the time in a person's life and there was even the briefest of interruptions to it, would it need to be reset?__

**A/N: next chapter soon?**


	2. Five

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who checked out the prologue today and left me such wonderful reviews! Childhood innocence is a wonderful thing. Hope you are in a relaxed happy place when you read this and subsequent chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Five

~xXx~

_****They say just before you die, your life flashes before your eyes****_

~x~

She waved at the little blonde-topped boy she saw across the blooms of deep purple, buttery soft yellows, pale alabaster petals with hints of pink, and bright hues of blue. The grass and flowers were at the perfect height and bloom. Some of the longer stems were almost as tall as she was.

She fell backward, pushing over the delicate stems in an attempt to make a meadow angel and - though her momma would have warned her not to if she was there - glimpsed at how brightly the sun shone down over this most beautiful of places she could ever remember seeing in her life. A smile as warm as the air around her graced her face as she lazily sat up from the earthen mold she had created.

She waved again and giggled sweet laughter before letting herself flop back into the soft greens. She sat up and watched as the little boy looked up hesitantly toward the handsome man standing next to him to ask permission. The handsome man swept strands of his dark hair off his face and smiled gently as they walked toward the young girl with rosy cheeks and an illuminated smile.

As they approached, it was the young girl who eagerly greeted them sans any hesitation. "Hi, I'm Bella, and I'm five years old. What's your name?"

Again the young boy looked to the handsome man, waiting for a response. The man nodded slightly and smiled, encouraging he partake in the conversation.

"I'm Eddie. I'm five years old, too. Do you want to go play on my swing set with me? It's all the way on the other side of the meadow." The little boy pointed toward the direction from which he had emerged.

"Ugh, I have to walk all that way?" she asked dramatically throwing her hands out.

The young boy looked up to his companion. "Would you mind giving her a piggyback ride?"

The handsome man scooped up the little girl gently and told her to hold on tightly. She secured her grip around his neck comfortably and noticed the change of scent from the flowers immediately. His hair smelled like that blue stuff she watched her dad pat onto his chin some mornings.

The two five-year-olds laughed contagiously as they swung and played away the vibrant afternoon. The handsome man laughed along with them and took turns pushing Bella and Eddie on the swings and securing them as they climbed the ladder before going down the slide.

"You sure are pretty," Eddie announced.

"_Eddie_!" the handsome man chided, surprised by his bravado.

"What? Don't you think so?" Eddie asked.

The handsome man just smiled as he took Bella's hand and helped her up the ladder to the slide. Bella slid down with a bouncy giggle and a "wee."

A woman's voice was heard off in the distance frantically calling, **"Bella! **_**Bella!**_** Can you hear me?"**

Bella turned to look at her playmates. "That's my mom calling me. Ut oh! She sounds upset. Must be time for dinner and she can't see me from the backyard. Guess I gotta go."

"Oh _mannnnnn_!" Eddie whined and stomped his foot. "But ya just got here!" Bella shrugged with her shoulders before skipping away with high knees through the meadow grass.

"Wait!" the little boy called out as he bent down to pick a handful of the flowers then ran to catch up to Bella. "Will you be my Valentine?" he asked as he presented her with his gift.

The handsome man covered his mouth as he stifled a giggle. He knew it wasn't Valentine's Day.

Bella took the flowers from the boy without answering his question. "How about we play here again tomorrow?"

"Can we?" Eddie looked up at the handsome man and was given an accommodating smile.

She didn't wait for an answer. Instead she skipped ahead toward the end of the meadow she had originally emerged from earlier, worried her momma was going to be upset with her. It would be a long way back, but skipping and humming would make it go by more quickly.

Little Eddie called to her. "Yay, yay! I get to come back tomorrow too!"

The girl stopped, turning back to look. "If I get here first, I'll wait for you! See you then!" Bella waved goodbye then resumed her skipping. She heard her mom ask if she could hear her, to which she yelled back, "Coming Momma! Yes, I hear you! I'm right here."

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><p><strong>AN: If anyone knows how to get my lines to be blocked/justified feel free to email or PM me. I'm not happy with left aligned type, but I'm ecstatic with all of you. =) **


	3. Eight

**A/N: Thank you for being here. [Now's is where you tell me, "Where else am I gonna go?"] Oh yeah, in case you didn't know, I like Twilight movie quotes. I will probably use some in the story, but sometimes I let other characters say them rather than the original characters. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait<strong>: Eight

~xXx~

~x~

"Bella!" the young boy shouted enthusiastically upon seeing her. "I hoped you would be here today!"

The young girl waved before doing a few awkward cartwheels, stumbling on the last one and landing on the earth's grassy floor. She laughed at her own clumsiness and plucked a white daisy, bringing it to her nose. She closed her eyes and felt the wind gently blow past her. The day could not have been more perfect in the meadow, full of sunshine but not blazing hot.

"Come on, get up! I got something to show you! C'mon you'll never believe it. It's so cool."

Bella opened her eyes and grinned up at Eddie. "What is it?"

"It's something we built! You're gonna love it! C'mon!" The young boy tugged at Bella's hand until she was up and then led her to the outskirts of the meadow where the handsome man was standing near a large tree. "Look! Up there!"

"Wow! A tree house! Can I go up there?" Bella asked, her eyes wide but wanting to squint, so she tried to shield them from the sun.

"It's a clubhouse and clubhouses have rules. Isn't that right?" Eddie looked up to the handsome man. He returned a smile and tousled Eddie's hair.

Eddie grinned. "The first rule is you have to be at least eight years old to even enter the clubhouse. Are you eight yet?"

"Oh, yes!" Bella replied.

"Good. Me too!" said Eddie. "Now normally there would be a very strict _no girls allowed _rule with a boys' clubhouse but I'm making an exception for you."

"What's an exception?" Bella asked as she watched Eddie climb up the wooden rungs of the ladder.

The handsome man stepped in, "It means you're special." He gestured in a way to usher Bella to the ladder.

"Oh," blushed Bella, as the handsome man helped her climb the ladder.

From inside the tree house the world looked like such a bright, beautiful place. "Do you like it?" asked a wide-eyed expectant Eddie.

"I love it! I can see the whole meadow! It's all just so light and open from up here. I want to stay here forever."

"If you're here, then I want to stay here forever too," Eddie responded happily with a sigh.

Bella agreed that is how it should always be, and the two friends interlaced their pinky fingers making a pact between them.

"_Meadow forever,_" Bella grinned.

Eddie echoed, "_Meadow forever,"_ adding, "_and ever and ever and ever_."

They spent the afternoon playing cards in the tree house and counting butterflies that whizzed by. As the hours passed, Bella complained about the chill the wind caused and soon after heard her mom calling for her.

"That's my mom. I better get going." She started to make her way down the ladder.

"But I thought you were staying here with me forever?" Eddie called. In her hurry to get down, Bella missed a rung, lost her balance and fell backward. Her cry of fright was short because the handsome man was there to catch her.

"I've got you," he said softly, as he placed her down gently and reassured her that she was okay. Bella felt so safe in his arms, grateful to have had the handsome man save her from the fall.

Eddie jumped down from the second rung of the ladder. "Wow, are you okay?" he asked.

"**Bella! Bella? Where are you? Come back to us."** It was Bella's mother calling for her.

"Sorry. I have to go."

"Wait!" Eddie cried. He hugged her sweetly and told her that he would miss her before clasping his fist around a bunch of long-stemmed yellow daisies that broke away with a good yank. "Will you be my _Valent-_ . . . well, these are for you to take with you."

"Thanks, Eddie. These will look pretty in my hair after my mom braids it. See you next time!" Bella said as she started off in the direction of her mother's voice.

"Don't forget to bring a jacket with you next time. It's getting cooler," said the handsome man.

**A/N:**

**Short & sweet, just like an eight-year-old Edward. Pinky-swear promise me you'll keep reading! *holds pinky out***


	4. Twelve

**A/N: I'm so humbled by the great response everyone has shared with me about this story so far. **

**My cat has been my beta. She's really smart, has plenty of time on her paws, and, well, _Dogsten_ was unavailable. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Twelve

~xXx~

~x~

Bella's legs were crisscrossing in the air as she flipped the page of her book. It had been quiet in the meadow that day without Eddie. Even though the day was still early, it seemed like hours ago that she had left her mom and dad to spend some time in the meadow, telling them she needed a quiet place to read.

Bella had remembered her jacket and noted how the leaves on the trees that surrounded the tree house were starting to turn colors, yet the flowers that decorated the meadow with a more pastel pallette were still plentiful when she looked out across the meadow. She plucked a white daisy and began the child's game of _he loves me, he loves me not_ absentmindedly. She was enjoying her Judy Blume story when she heard what had become her favorite sound in the whole world.

"Bella-la-la!" Eddie emerged from beyond the tree house with a baseball mitt on his left hand while the handsome man accompanied him holding a bat up to his shoulder. Both were wearing navy blue and white pin-striped baseball t-shirts under unzipped jackets and white baseball caps with the letter "C" on them.

"Hi!" Bella beamed.

"Wanna play baseball with us?" Eddie asked.

"Not really. I'm reading a book today."

"Aww, why you gotta be such a girl?" Eddie whined.

"I'm not being such a girl. I don't even have a mitt to play with you!"

Eddie looked to the handsome man. "You bring it?"

The handsome man smiled and pulled an extra mitt out from a small blue duffle bag he carried. He held it out to Bella.

"It's a junior mitt—perfect size for twelve year olds like us," Eddie said.

"What team is your hat for? It's not any team that my dad Charlie has ever worn."

"It's the Cubs! Our dad grew up in Chicago and that's his favorite team. Isn't that right?" he asked the handsome man.

"You bet!" The handsome man tossed a baseball up in the air in front of him and caught it.

"Now come on," Eddie grinned at Bella, "you can bat first."

The two tweens spent the afternoon taking turns swinging the bat or playing outfield while the handsome man threw fast pitches for Eddie and slower underhanded pitches for Bella. After Bella decided she was just not cut out for running around bases without stumbling she asked if they could take a break. The sun was shining down upon the meadow brightly enough that they decided to climb into the tree house for shady cover. It seemed so odd to her that there was a collection of leaves under the trees, like the season had changed to autumn but yet the flowers in the meadow were still thriving. With all the running around and having a jacket on, Bella hadn't noticed a chill to the air, but it was, in fact, there.

Eddie pulled out his baseball card collection and showed Bella some of his favorite players. She listened but was uninterested. She tried to read aloud a section from her book to share with him. He yawned as if he was bored. At twelve years old, their outside interests were quite different, but they both agreed being able to share the afternoon together made them happy. They used twigs and rocks to play tic-tac-toe on the floor of the tree house. He told her silly jokes that Bella giggled over, and the sound of her laughter only encouraged him to tell her more. They used sticks to carve their initials into the wall as best as they could.

"Do you miss it?" Eddie turned to Bella as they sat in the clubhouse looking out.

"Miss what?" Bella asked, confused.

"**Bella, your mother and I want you back here right now, do you hear me?"** a stern man's voice came from across the meadow.

"That's my Dad."

"He sounds mad!" Eddie blurted out.

"Yeah, I know. I think I better go now." Bella grabbed her book and headed toward the ladder. She turned to Eddie and held out her pinky. "_Meadow forever_?"

"_Meadow forever_," Eddie returned, wrapping his pinky around hers and releasing it before she carefully made her way down the ladder.

~x~

**A/N: **

**Yep TwiWeasel, chapter names are ages so far! Guess you won at a contest I didn't know I was hosting. *blows dust off old 'No. 1 SmartAss' trophy* Here you go, here's a prize for you! **

**Sorry BellaD! I know you were expecting 9 years old today but, don't worry, we've got a lot of wonderful years ahead of us to get through. :) **

**I'm going to hold out my pinky again, but some of you better not be trying to yank me in for a hug like you did yesterday. I'm watching you. *gives 17ForeverLisa, NHB, and Kassie the Focker eyes***

**"Meadow forever?" *holds out pinky***


	5. Sixteen Going on Seventeen

**A/N: Amazing reviews! Thank you so much! And here comes the long chapter!**

**So you remember that ep of 'Friends' when they were all in Vegas and Monica is at the table rolling dice and Chandler says that if she makes the next roll they'll get married? Monica has this moment, right? She throws her hands out telling everyone to be quiet because, "Things JUST GOT interesting!" Yeah so let me know if and when you have that Monica-Moment. (Not necessarily this chapter though.)**

**I've been telling BellaDuluk there is a chapter in this story I was specifically dedicating to her—so Tesoro, I promise today is the day you'll spot something I wrote with you in mind! And 17ForeverLisa, I'm sure the title alone put a smile on your face!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Sixteen Going on Seventeen

~oXo~

~o~

Bella clutched the red and white varsity jacket to herself tightly, trying to fight the extra chill the breeze brought to the already cold, heavy air that surrounded her. As she stood looking around the meadow, she saw less and less patches of grass and very few flowers in her line of vision. Her friends didn't seem to be around today, so she took the time to practice one of her cheers from school. Being a junior in high school was going _okay_. She had been dating a boy from the senior varsity basketball team, Jasper Whitlock, but Bella was typically insecure and unsure if Jasper wanted to date _just_ her. Still, _she was the girl he had given his jacket to after a game one night recently asking her to wear it _and _she was the girl he planned to take out for a special dinner on her upcoming seventeenth birthday_, she reminded herself, so she was hoping that cheering him on at the games would be a good way to keep his attention.

The high school in Phoenix was huge. Bella's graduating class next year would be almost a thousand students. She usually got a little lost in that kind of crowd, so she felt it was auspicious that she ran into Jasper one night at the local pizzeria and he had asked her out. She didn't completely know him that day, but she knew enough of him—he was a popular senior, hosted parties, maintained decent grades—to like him and, more importantly, to want to be liked by him. She understood the special treatment she was getting from her classmates and liked how it felt to be seen with him. She was aware of so many eyes on them on warm mornings when they pulled into the school parking lot with the radio blasting and the top down of Jasper's hunter green classic Mustang. Dating him gave her a more secure place amongst such a large class.

Still, she knew she would have to work at being with him and never foresaw it being completely easy, fun, _natural_ – the way it always was to be with Eddie in the meadow.

"Bella!"

Bella smiled. She took her friend in as he approached, and in return, Eddie gave a slight two-finger half-salute / half-wave to her with his right hand. He was taller now and lanky. The once blonde hair had warmed to a bronze-highlighted brown with longer strands gelled back along each side. He swiped his palm along his forehead, pushing his bangs up and back as he made his way to her. His once run-and-tumble approach through the tall blades of grass was now a walk of long strides over small, sparse blotches of green. In his other hand he carried a guitar case.

Bella suddenly felt shy around Eddie, like she was unsure of how to talk to him. She realized that for the first time ever, he was alone today. The handsome man had always served as an added chaperone to her meadow visits and ever since the day when he caught her as she fell from the tree-house ladder, she had felt a special at-ease knowing he was there.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?" Bella responded defensively, worried that Eddie had sensed her newfound nerves.

"Before you left last time, your Dad sounded pretty upset."

"Oh, that." Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, my parents are such worrywarts. Part of being an only child, I guess."

"Yeah. Maybe. My mom and dad are fairly diligent about at least trying to keep track of my whereabouts. And then there's big brother Emmett who's supposed to be . . ." [If both of Eddie's hands had been empty he would have held his fingers up so air quotes could hug his next few words for emphasis] ". . ._always watching over me_."

"Yeah, I'm surprised you're alone today."

"Oh, I'm not alone. I'm here with Gia." He smiled widely, quite pleased with himself, just as Bella was noticing that he was wearing glasses today. Then a sudden pang shot through the teenage girl's heart as she looked beyond Eddie, expecting to see a tall, statuesque model type to match the name. _Gee-ah_, she scoffed at the name as she repeated it in her mind.

"Bella?"

The teen glanced around and after not seeing anyone else she looked back at Eddie questioning where she was.

"Umm, my guitar." He held up his case and shook it slightly, looking for reassurance that she understood, to which she nodded she did. He tugged at a blanket resting on his opposite shoulder and asked her to help him spread it out so he wouldn't have to set his case down on the brown and dying grass. He motioned with his hand for her to take a seat, to which she easily agreed. He followed prior to opening his guitar case and taking the time to gently tune the instrument. He was strumming a few chords then stopped and looked up to find Bella watching him.

"The cold weather has really set in. I'm glad you wore a warm coat today, even if it does have some dumb guy's name on it." Edward put his head down so Bella missed the frown that had littered his face.

Bella looked down at her jacket and let out a slight gasp at knowing Eddie had noticed Jasper's name written across it. She shrugged it down off her shoulders.

"What are you doing? You'll freeze."

"No, it's okay, I actually have another closer-fitting jacket on under this. And, I've got a blanket with me today in case I need it. I'll be fine." After just experiencing a sudden, unexpected bit of jealousy over the thought of another girl having accompanied Eddie to their special spot, she thought removing her jacket was a considerate gesture to him.

"I like the blue on you better anyway," he said with an impish smirk. "So how's school going?" he asked settling more comfortably onto the dark blue and green plaid blanket.

"I don't know . . ." Bella hesitated quietly, pulling at a few pieces of fringe from the blanket. "It's going."

"And you're a cheerleader? I heard you clapping."

"Yeah, this year I made the varsity squad."

"I wish we went to school together. It would be nice to see you more often than just here." He put out his pinky to her, and she wrapped her finger around it automatically, mouthing, _meadow forever_, before pulling it back quickly. Touching him this time had felt differently than any other time. It made her blush and think of Jasper instantly.

"Ohhh, I don't know," Bella hesitated again. "You might not like the person I've had to become in high school. I mean - a cheerleader, parties, social and just 'on' all the time."

"I know the person you are. I've always known." The teenage boy looked up at her through long eyelashes that refused to be hidden by the gray-framed glasses he wore.

"I'm the person I want to be most when I'm here with you, in the meadow."

"Me, too," he said as he extended his hand out to her but thought better of trying to take her entire hand in his. Instead, he intertwined their pinkies together again. Bella accepted the contact of their skin easier this time, as well as the warmth of the smile he was radiating.

"How is school for you?"

Eddie shrugged. "It's there. Honor classes during the day and practice with my band at night until baseball season starts up. I get to play first base this year." She noticed how he announced the last part with such pride.

After seeing Eddie play baseball in the meadow, she envisioned how well he must look in a uniform and vowed to find a way to make it to one of his games to watch him.

"Wow, that's great, Eddie!"

The teenage boy laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just, no one calls me Eddie anymore." He stopped himself for a second, setting his guitar down. "Well except Emmett, but everyone else calls me Edward these days."

Bella giggled and reached out her free hand to playfully pinch his cheek. "Well here in the meadow, you'll always be our Eddie," she cooed, giggling to herself but suddenly felt self-conscious about having just touched his face, perhaps without his permission. He over-dramatically grinned, poked a finger to the dimple by his mouth and twisted at it while tilting his head from side to side.

"So . . . are you going to play your guitar for me or is it just a fashion accessory today?" Eddie looked down at his attire—gray pea coat and blue button-down shirt hardly screamed fashion icon. He worried what Bella thought of him. He obviously realized he probably wasn't deemed as cool amongst his classmates as she was working so hard to be in her school.

But here in the meadow with Bella, he did still feel like Eddie—carefree and fun in the wide open with his best friend. That's what she had become to him, his best friend. At the very least, anyway, but maybe one day he might convince her to be more to him. He plucked a remaining lonely lavender flower that sat near the fringe of the blanket and handed it to her.

"Will you be my Valentine?" he laughed.

Bella took it and brought it up to her nose as he picked up his guitar again. He strummed casually and then a wicked grin crossed his face.

His fingers worked the guitar and started the melody to a song Bella was all too familiar with, thanks to her mom.

He sang, "_Something's changed, it ain't hard to define, Jasper's got himself a girl, and I wanna make her mine. And she's wearing his varsity coat, and she's cheering him at his games, I just know it_."

Eddie got a little carried away in his effort to mock what he assumed was a long-term relationship for Bella. Bella laughed out loud at how ridiculously goofy Eddie could be but wondered how much of his song choice could be a true reflection of his feelings.

"Okay, stop," Bella giggled. "Stop, stop!" Bella laughed harder, waving her arms in front of him as if she was being tickled. "No more!"

"Oh yes more, I'm just getting started." He continued to sing obnoxiously, changing the lyrics to fit the situation. "What kind of a name is _Jasper_ anyway?" he asked before continuing his mock-crooning.

"_You know I wish that I had Jasper's girl. Where can I find a woman like that, like Jasper's girl_."

Bella really did want him to stop singing that song. She just couldn't handle being reminded of Jasper any more while she was here in her happy place that existed outside of that other part of her life. She considered trying to break one of his guitar strings but didn't want to be destructive or make him mad. But the satisfaction he was getting in mock-crooning about a guy she didn't really want to think about at the moment was driving her crazy.

She pulled herself up on her knees and decided there was only one way to shut him up and wipe that grin off his face, though she was unsure what he would replace that grin with in reaction.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned in and smashed her lips to his, keeping them there until he closed his mouth somewhat and was no longer singing. In fact, he was no longer doing anything, and it was shock that took over on his face for a few seconds. She kept her lips stilled at his and allowed her eyes to chance up at him. Slowly, he puckered his lips and tried to talk. She sealed her lips to his just a bit more, remaining there until she felt warmth across her cheek and light pressure on her chin. Eddie had released his guitar with one hand to grab her slightly, pulling her face to his just as he began to move his lips, first against hers as he murmured something softly and then with hers.

They kissed for the first time in exactly the way two people meant for each other would kiss - adolescent passion interspersed with occasional giggles and quick clunks of teeth.

A new understanding formed that afternoon, one that meant two best friends' lips weren't off-limits from each other. And, not just lips. Spontaneous pecks on the hand, cheek, neck and ears were also explored in between questions about each other's _favorites_ and catching up on each other's _firsts_. They discussed their first jobs, first concerts, first kisses and compared their favorites of everything - favorite ice cream flavor, favorite band, favorite car they'd like to own.

"Have your parents given you _the talk _yet?" Eddie asked Bella with forced seriousness.

Bella blushed at Eddie's question and immediately offered up a non-personal response. "I guess you could count my Dad saying that he hopes my boyfriend's values are _as old school as his car_ as having _the talk." _

Eddie didn't quite know what Bella meant about the car but he smiled knowing he had misled her in his line of questioning.

"Bella, I wasn't talking about sex. I was talking about college, . . . but since you brought it up. . ." he smirked.

"Oh! _Jerk_. You did that on purpose."

"Yeah, I did," he admitted with a chuckle. "So college? Are your parents bugging you about it?"

"My parents definitely would like to see me go to college. Harvard, even. Like they could afford it," she muttered. "I don't want to think about that right now." She heaved a long sigh while she thought, _Harvard can wait_.

They spent the rest of the day stealing kisses from each other up in the tree house, against a rock, behind a tree, and before rolling down a hill. They both laughed as they tumbled down a small hill landing on a patch of the meadow where a small grouping of flowers was still thriving. As the laughter died down, neither made the move to get up but instead stayed close to each other, stilled on the ground.

"Eddie?" Bella began.

"Yeah, Bella?"

"I don't want to go back."

"I don't want you to either." He said his words softly, with care. "This day has been . . ." He cleared his throat nervously, "well, better than I've had in a while."

"Me too," Bella admitted, a gently whispered truth. "And it's not just what I have to go back to—_that life_—it's that I have to go back to it without you."

"I know, Bella."

"Seeing you here this way just doesn't seem like enough."

"For me either," Eddie whispered quietly as he outstretched his arm and brought his hand to cradle her face. "Wanna know a secret?" Bella nodded yes to his question. "Being seventeen actually kind of sucked until today."

Bella smiled at his declaration. "You're seventeen already? Since when?"

"For a while now."

He leaned in and kissed her again, lightly rolling on top of her, with little intention to break away this time.

Off in the distance a voice could be heard, though muted. **"Bella. Bella, honey, it's mom. Someone is here to see you. He's waiting for you."**

"Who is it?" Bella broke the kiss and called out unsure if her Mom would hear her. There was no answer, but Bella knew she should go.

Bella raised her pinky up in front of her mouth, inviting Eddie to conjoin his pinky with hers. He obliged and after they whispered, _meadow forever_, in unison, he pulled her pinky up to his mouth placing a long, lingering kiss there - one that silently begged her to disregard her Mom, just this once.

"I better go," Bella told Eddie.

"Not yet." He removed his glasses, tossing them off to the side, never taking his eyes off of her. He searched her eyes, looking for pause, a weakened strand in her decision to leave that he could break with pleading. "Stay with me? Just a little while longer_." _Eddie had meant what he said, and he wasn't ready for this day with her to end. "I need more time with you like this, before it's too late."

Bella considered it for a minute but was worried about breaking curfew with her mom and being disrespectful of whoever was waiting for her. If she got in trouble, then she might be grounded and not allowed back to the meadow to see him.

"I want to, but I really shouldn't," Bella resolved.

Eddie's head dropped to one side. Feeling slightly defeated, he replaced his glasses. He stood and offered out his hand for her to take, which she slid into easily without hesitation. It had been a long day in the meadow and it felt even colder and darker. He helped her put on the jacket she had shed earlier. He gathered up his coat and closed up his guitar in its case.

"Bye, Bella," he said firmly as he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Her hand flew up to her cheek, covering the area his warm lips had just touched, murmuring nothing more than, "Bye." Bella hated to leave; she turned on her heel in silence.

"I'm gonna miss you, just so you know," he called out after her as he stood watching her walk back to her corner of the meadow.

After spending the day together differently than any other day they had shared there in the meadow, neither of them were quite ready to let go. Bella ran back to him, and he dropped his belongings abruptly, instinctively needing to wrap his arms around her again, lifting her up off the ground. She clung to his neck, testing the bond between them and whispered, "I'll come back. I promise. And when you come back, I'll be here, waiting for you."

Bella released him from the embrace and forced herself to put one foot in front of the other. As she disappeared further and further away from him, a low, husky voice was heard off in the distant direction of where Bella was heading.

**"Bella. I'm here, babe. I can't tell you how sorry I am."**

~o~

**A/N:**

**TwiWeasel was like a lightsaber against the dark forces today! thank you!**

**When I hear Bruno Mars 'It Will Rain' on the radio, I smile and think of Breaking Dawn.**

**When I hear Katy Perry's 'The One That Got Away' on the radio, I smile and think of this story. =)**

***holds pinky out* Meadow forever?**


	6. TwentyTwo, part 1

**A/N: Please join me in wishing The Lovely TwiWeasel a very Happy Birthday today!, 1/20! Happy Birthday loca! **

**So many intriguing theories my words have stirred, but d****on't overthink it. ****Stick to the basics we all know and love about Twilight.**

**My cat is still my beta. I might have to check this over later for minor errors.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Twenty-Two, part 1

~oXo~

~x~

A shiver ran down Bella's spine. It felt colder today in the meadow—colder than it had ever been on any other day she was there. Patches of green were almost nonexistent, and there were no signs of flowers anymore. The air around her tasted stale. It seemed like off in the distance it was probably more alit from sunshine, but it was cloudy and gray over the part of the meadow they usually stuck to. She zippered her parka up to her neck hoping it was going to be enough to keep her warm.

She looked as far as she could see but there was no sign of Eddie yet today. She really needed someone to talk to. She was graduating from the University of Phoenix and knew very soon she would face the inevitability of her on-again/off-again college boyfriend of two years, Mike, making good on his promise to present her with a ring just after graduation. She had told Mike she loved him many times, but the idea of professing love to him in front of her friends and family seemed obscure to her at this point in her life. She wanted a chance to do so many things before committing to one man, one location, one future.

She crossed her arms and hugged her coat tightly to her. As she spied the old tree house, she couldn't help but think of that day in the meadow when she was daring enough to kiss Eddie—how it felt to be with him was still different than how she had felt about any other guy she had ever known.

Bella sighed, allowing herself to feel hopeful that Eddie would be there soon and he could help her sort through her decision regarding Mike, support her. Until he got there though, she didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to take the opportunity to have fun for a little while and enjoy the feeling of getting away with him, the way she always did when she came here. She decided to wait for him not too far from their tree house.

The outskirt that surrounded the meadow was lined with trees that had shed their leaves. In an attempt to make her own fun and keep herself warm, she began to gather up the leaves into a large pile, as best as she could with her hands. Bella was willing to at least attempt to recapture the innocence of her playful days in the meadow, but not crazy enough to jump feet first into the leaves. Instead she stood facing away from the pile of autumn colors and placed her arms out to her side.

She hesitated at first.

_J__ust let go, _she told herself and fell backward. She exhaled as she hit the leaves and found herself remembering making a meadow angel, laughing the same way she always did in this place—out of play and happiness and youth. She rolled back and forth in the leaves without regard for getting dirty or being so-called mature. [The way a twenty-two-year-old was expected to be at this point in his or her life.] She stood up and quickly fell backwards again, this time screaming in the delight of the sensation of falling, hitting the leaves hard but laughing at herself. She gathered up leaves and threw them into the air above her head.

"Having fun?"

The deep, smooth voice slightly startled her.

Bella was still wiping crying-from-joy tears from her eyes as she looked up and recognized the handsome man standing over her, smiling.

"_Oops_, you caught me!" Bella sat up, still trying to catch her breath from laughing. She dropped her head down into her hands to try to stifle her laughter and didn't notice that the handsome man had crouched down behind her and was scooping up more leaves and dumping them over Bella's head. She continued to laugh but did her best to recompose herself.

When he was done humoring himself by participating in her fun, the handsome man moved behind Bella, seating himself on the ground.

"So how have you been?" he asked, plucking a few leaves from the back of her long brown hair.

"I've been keeping well, thank you for asking. It's been a long time; how have _you_ been?" She busied herself with blowing warm air into her hands and rubbing them together.

"You've been_ keeping well?_ My God, Bella, when did you become such a grownup?"

Bella chuckled at the semi-formality of her words. "Well it really _has_ been a while since you saw me last," she said, leaning forward to brush leaves off the bottoms of her pants.

"It has," he agreed.

"Yep, I'm all grown up now, I guess." Bella's teeth chattered just enough to be heard by the handsome man.

"And I'm sure you've matured into a fine young woman," he voiced then adding, "who must be very cold."

Too easily he had slid up closer to her from behind, letting his thighs rest around her legs as he unbuttoned his overcoat. He slipped one arm around her waist, leaning her gently back into his chest. "Here," he breathed at her ear, before wrapping his bulky wool coat around her.

He rested his chin on her shoulder, and she couldn't help but to deeply inhale the scent of hair product and aftershave that mingled together and permeated the cold meadow air.

Bella felt the closeness and remembered. It felt the exact way it had the day he saved her from falling off the ladder as she was climbing out of the tree house. It was a heavenly, light feeling full of warmth and safety.

She smiled that the moment had triggered her memory. After all, like he had just pointed out to her, if only in jest, she was a full-fledged adult now, with adult decisions ahead of her. She wasn't the carefree eight-year-old girl anymore. She had grown, aged. _That's how it's supposed to be_, she told herself.

Then Bella gasped lightly, suddenly worried.

Why did the handsome man look exactly the same to her as the first time she had met him and Eddie in the meadow?

~o~

**A/N:**

**So...is somebody gonna **

**Say it. . .**

**Out loud.**

**~x~**

**Have a great weekend if I don't update 'til Monday.**


	7. Twenty Two, part 2

**A/N: I know you are all "_The weekend isn't over. __What are you doing here_?" Uhhh, my dad paid me. *shrugs* Twenty bucks. **

**Did I ever mention how often I like to throw out Twilight quotes just for the fun of it in RL, online life, FF. Sometimes I might let a diff character use someone else's line too. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Twenty-Two, part 2

~xOx~

~o~

"Eddie," Bella murmured to herself at the thought of him, wondering where he was. He would know what is going on with the handsome man.

The handsome man chuckled and gave a light squeeze to his embrace.

Bella felt bewildered. As immersed as she was in the pleasant warm feeling she experienced being so near the handsome man, she reminded herself just how much she had been looking forward to seeing Eddie today and how much she needed her best friend - as that is what Eddie had become to her - to distract her from having to concentrate on the other pressing issues in her life.

"Okay, I think I'm warm enough." She had yet to turn and face the handsome man but worked to loosen herself from his grip, though she immediately felt less content, less warm at the loss of contact. It was unnerving actually, but she told herself it was just the cold. She was sure that Eddie would be along any time now, especially because the last time they were in the meadow together she knew he had wanted her to stay longer.

"Will Eddie be here soon? I was really hoping I would get a chance to see him today."

"Bella!" he exclaimed lightly with a laugh indictating some disbelief, as he pulled his arms back.

He planted his hands on the ground behind him and leaned back onto his elbows, bending one knee up and stretching the opposite leg out further around her.

"Look at me," he chuckled, surprised that he even had to say the words. "I _am_ Eddie."

~o~

**A/N:**

**Meadow forever? *holds pinky out and whistles* **


	8. Twenty Two, part 3

**A/N: The comments you guys have left me have been so amazing that I am almost at a loss for words. Thank you, sincerely. I appreciate each of you taking the time to read and then consider the going-ons of this story, as well as putting up with my braTTy ways.**

**Check out my profile page for a storyboard I am building for this story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Twenty-Two, part 3

~oXo~

~o~

A gust of frigid wind swept through their realm of serendipity blowing between the bare tree branches and stirring up the grounded leaves, picking up several and scattering them in various parts of the meadow.

Bella turned to look at him, really taking in his face - cheeks flushed from the cold, eyes she recognized though they weren't set behind glasses, darkened hair with light champagne-colored streaks, though it was shorter on the sides than the last time she had seen Eddie. She reached her hand out and slowly trailed her palm along his jawline enjoying the slight prickliness of his stubble.

"Eddie?" she asked seeking verification.

"Yes," he said moving his hand to shadow hers, leaning into her touch while concentrating on her eyes, "though you are the only one who still calls me that." He tried to reassure her with a smile.

"But . . . _before_?" she questioned confused. "You were here and so was _he_ . . ."

The handsome Eddie shrugged. "_I know._ I think- It always just felt like I was making up for lost time." Bella tried to comprehend how the handsome man could be Eddie but was relieved in knowing that it was him all along who had made her feel safe, secure, while she had so much fun. He gave her a quiet moment to accept him and then chose to change the subject intentionally.

"So, Bella Swan, five-year plan or getting your diploma?" Edward smirked.

"Definitely getting my diploma; it was well earned too." Bella perked up again. "Aaaand, you'll never guess what else! I've even been accepted into Harvard for graduate studies on a scholarship! Can you believe it?"

"Harvard?" Edward repeated surprised. "Like _thee_ Harvard?"

"Yes, _thee_ Harvard."

"Real-ly now?" Edward's reaction was cheeky, and Bella didn't understand why. Perhaps he didn't think she was smart enough to get into Harvard or motivated enough to go on to graduate school.

"Yes, really! Wait, why are you grinning like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like that! It's all Bella in Wonderland here today and you're smiling like that stupid striped cat. Did you already know?"

"I'm grinning because I think I finally figured out a way we are going to see each other more often."

"Oh yeah? And how's that?" Bella asked nonchalantly, distracted by more leaves she was picking out of her hair.

"I happen to be moving out to that area myself."

Bella's head snapped up in surprise. She pushed in on Edward's chest. "Are you fucking kidding me? You better not be lying to me Edward Cullen!" In her excitement, Bella wrapped her hands securely around Edward's neck forcing him back into the leaves with light laughter.

"_Finally_, she calls me Edward." A smile played at his lips while his eyelashes fluttered a bit. He enjoyed her body being up against his again.

"Tell me!" she insisted as he allowed her to keep him pinned to the ground. Leaves rustled and slid beneath him.

"I love when your eyes light up like that, like they're charged," Edward dodged the question but mused over the fire her eyes had always reflected. It felt like he was the one who could make her happy, make her look like that.

"Tell me!" She moved to tickle him. He couldn't charm his way out of this. He laughed until he cried, _uncle. _

"Okay, stop. I'll tell you. I've been accepted to Harvard's graduate program to study biomedical engineering. Come midsummer I'm getting the hell out of Forks and moving across the country."

"Wow, Edward! _I just_ . . . I can't believe it." Bella briefly wondered what this would mean for them but knew she didn't have the time to figure it all out. The idea of seeing him so often, being in the same town as him, was more than overwhelming.

"There's more I have to tell you." Edward's tone had changed, softened, yet his words seemed serious. He didn't know what she thought of that day they last shared in the meadow, but he wanted to try to tell her that it had always meant more to him than just two friends using their familiarity with each other as the basis for hormone-driven exploration. He wanted to tell her that _she_ meant more to him. So many things he wanted with her. He wanted to take her to the movies on Friday nights and study art with her at the museum on a leisurely Sunday afternoon. He wanted to go for jogs with her in the park on brisk mornings during the week and call her with good news before he told anyone else. He wanted to be there to celebrate her next birthday. He wanted to take her to his bed at nights and call her _baby _as made love to her.

"I have to tell you something else too." Bella hated the thought of having to admit everything about Mike to him.

"Wait. The last time we were here together. Do you remember?" He held up his pinky finger toward her.

"Aren't we a little too old for pinky swears? Besides now we don't have to stay here forever just to be together." Bella was envisioning herself at the college's massive library studying and when she looked up from her book, he was there tapping his pencil with four books spread out in front of him. She saw him bringing over Chinese takeout for late night studying. She saw them checking their schedules and penciling in time to meet at Starbucks midmorning.

"You're still so pretty." Edward moved his pinky to hook a few pieces of Bella's long chestnut hair. He let his eyes follow the movement as he swept the tendrils back behind her ear, the end pieces falling gracefully on her shoulder. "I've always thought so. Just in case I haven't mentioned that since we were five." He chuckled lightly.

Bella blushed, reveling in Edward's adoration but quickly returned the compliment confessing, "And before I knew it was you, I always thought of you as _the handsome man_." Bella again remembered seeing him that first time in the meadow.

"Edward?" Bella asked hesitantly, leaning back on her heels, removing her hands from him and letting them rest on her knees.

"Hmmm," Edward hummed, bending one arm and tucking his hand behind his head, smiling again that she had shed use of his childhood nickname.

"When I left . . . last time, you said you would miss me." Bella said it as a statement, but it was a question.

"I did," Edward responded, still smiling, remembering how they had spent that day together, full of stolen and not-so-stolen kisses. He pushed off his hands and sat himself up straight, looking down at his coat as he refastened the buttons.

"You did as in you did_ say that_ or . . . " Bella didn't want to misunderstand.

He looked at back at her eyes. "I've missed you every day, Harvard." He smirked at his nickname for her and shifted his focus back on her hair, guiding a few more wind-loosened strands away from her face and faintly blowing along the curve of her ear, preparing himself for an answer he was unsure of, "Have you . . . missed me?"

"Every minute," Bella whispered. It was an unmistakable truth. She felt it undeniably. Even when she was with Mike and told him she loved him, there was always an ache that chiseled at her heart—a yearning to be with someone else-that was only ever erased during her days spent at the meadow.

His palms slid over her silken hair. "Bella," Edward rasped as he aligned his forehead to rest on hers. She felt light pressure from his fingertips and gave in to the hold he had on her. [_And apparently the hold he had over her heart._]

Bella sighed as she settled into his grip, her feelings for Edward freely seeping out of a small compartment they had always occupied within her heart, until, like a waterfall, they gushed over and flowed through her more forcefully, making her ready for more.

He leaned in and initiated a kiss so filled with desire Bella thought she would melt. They weren't sixteen year olds stealing kisses this time. Bella was a grown woman who knew where she wanted this to lead to, and Edward was a grown man who knew how to bring a woman to a piercing pleasure. He pulled away to kiss along her jaw temptingly, dragging his tongue across her temple and pulling her earlobe in between his soft lips. He opened his mouth slightly to allow her to hear his breath, laden with desire, heavy and raspy, in her ear. The sound of him so close to her and the heat from his mouth made its way down her whole body. Her insides exploded and yearned to be as close to him as possible. There was no hesitation, only him, and the overpowering urge to be physically bound to him.

Bella undid the top few buttons of Edward's coat then started to shrug off her own.

"What . . . what are you doing?" Edward stopped her, reaching out to adjust her coat. "We can't do this here. You'll freeze."

"You'll keep me warm," she insisted. Bella went back to tend to Edward, unbuttoning his shirt until she was able to place kisses across his bare chest. Edward groaned from how sensual the mix of the cold meadow air and the warmth of her mouth tingled on his skin and how the perfumed scent of her hair just under his nose so easily aroused him.

"Is this what you . . ."

"It's what I've wanted since I was sixteen years old. I should have waited for you." Bella leaned in to attend to Edward's cool flesh at his neck, drawn to his heady scent. He closed his eyes but knew that he wasn't going to be able to resist her for long. The most he could do was to be sure that she wanted him, here on this day in a bitter, almost-baron meadow.

He pulled away. "What did you want to tell me?" He thought he was giving her the chance to tell him those three words. He knew if she said it first, he wouldn't hesitate to say them back to her.

Bella retreated but not before he had seen a complete change of her facial expression with a stinging in her eyes, and he realized it wasn't a declaration of love she needed to say, something was bothering her to have to tell him.

He wanted her to know that she could give everything to him, not just her body, but her burdens too.

"What is it? You can tell me anything, Bella." Edward reached out to embrace her, wrapping his muscular arms tightly around Bella. She collapsed into his chest to avoid looking up at him. He held onto her securely and waited for her to talk to him.

"I- I don't know how it happened. I didn't know when I would see you again. I'm so sorry Edward." Bella sobbed the words into Edward's chest.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's going to be okay." Edward waited for her to look up at him. He needed to see her eyes. He needed to see the truth in them about what was going on with her.

"Hey, look at me, Bella. You don't have to be sorry about anything."

~o~

**A/N: **

**OH _DEAR_.**

**Gives you a quiet moment to accept the handsome man's explanation and then changes the subject intentionally. **

**So are you gearing up for football today? I'm looking to avoid it as much as possible, so l****eaving me a comment today will help me escape!**


	9. Twenty Two, part 4

**A/N: Thank you for being here. If you are a fan of the part of 'The Notebook' when Ally goes back and finds Noah years later, then I hope you like this chapter because I had some of that on my mind as I was writing part of this.**

**Now, did anyone happen to take note of that one thriving tree off to the side of the tree house? Short little fruit-bearing tree still has some greenery with one piece of fruit hanging from it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Twenty-Two, part 4

~xOx~

_continues from..._

"I don't know how it happened. I- I didn't know when I would see you again. I'm so sorry Edward." Bella sobbed the words into Edward's chest.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's going to be okay." Edward waited for her to look up at him. He needed to see her eyes. He needed to see the truth in them. "Hey, look at me. You don't have to be sorry about anything."

Emotions flooded a wounded-looking Bella Swan, and she wasn't ready to lose him over the news of Mike. She let out a sob then pressed her lips to his briefly before snaking her tongue out and finding his, ardently pushing and sliding, desperately connecting. Edward was overwhelmed at her advances but eager to please her and reciprocate. He allowed himself to get caught up in the feel of her hands pushing slightly on his exposed chest as he breathed her in and swallowed her sweet taste. Though she slowed the kiss, passion had already sparked and urgency ignited within him. He pulled away from her mouth to hurriedly kiss up and down her neck, her cheek, her eyes, her lips, her ears - trying to cover, breathe, feel, take more and more of her.

"God, I want you Bella," he whispered against her neck. "Don't be sorry." His stubble teased at her skin as he dragged his lips up across her cheek. "Just be mine," he breathed.

Bella whimpered at his words. It was all she wanted from this time with him too, but guilt had already shot through her, insistent and ready to poison the moment.

"I- I- have to tell you something. I met someone . . . in college." Edward froze, his cheek flush against hers; his grip tightened around her arms. "His name is Mike, and he's expecting me to marry him."

"You're engaged?" he asked incredulously, recoiling from the sting of her words. It was an unexpected announcement, and he abruptly broke the contact with her and increased the space between them. Somewhere in his mind he realized how loudly he had asked that question. He had nearly yelled at her, though he hadn't meant to.

"_No!_" Bella shrieked back adamantly then dropped her voice and eyes from him. "Not yet. But, he's out there." Bella paused, looking far off in the meadow as she struggled to admit, "He's expecting me."

"I see," Edward said quietly, pausing for a minute. His body tensed at the thought of her belonging to another man, but he saw the look in her eyes, the story they conveyed. It didn't feel like so much time had passed, but it had been so long since they had last been together in the meadow. He blamed himself. He should have never let her go so easily last time.

He reached his pinky out toward her again, looking for solace. "So then we stay here together, and Harvard can wait."

Bella hesitantly lifted her pinky before linking it with his.

"_Meadow forever?_" He posed it as a question in an effort to secure even the smallest piece of her heart to commit to him. When Bella didn't respond right away, Edward searched her eyes and shook their pinky-joined hands slightly, trying to cajole an answer out of her. He leaned in slowly but pulled her close to him with a tug on her pinky. "Don't leave me," he pleaded. He wanted her to know the certainty in his heart as he pressed his lips to hers.

He kissed her to beg her not to go back to Mike.

He kissed her to convince her to be his. Only his.

Bella hesitated merely a moment before throwing her arms around his neck. Breaking the kiss, she hugged him hard, whispering, "_meadow forever_." Pulling back just far enough to meet Edward's eyes, she assured him, "I'm not leaving. This is where my heart has always been and will always remain, here . . . with you."

Her gratifying declaration was all Edward needed to hear. He wasn't going to waste any more time. Gathering her up in his arms roughly, he carried her back to the tree house. As he walked, Bella's arms remained tightly grasped around his neck, while her lips traveled a path across his temple, cheek, down his jaw and finally to his lips. Setting her down at the tree house, his body pressed her up against the ladder as he melded their mouths together, controlling the kiss as he poured all of his love and desire into the act. When Bella's hands fisted in his hair, and a low purr sounded in her throat, fire shot through his loins and he groaned into her mouth.

Breaking the kiss, he turned her toward the ladder. "Up you get," he panted, patting her bottom to encourage her up the ladder. Smiling up at her, he followed immediately, and finding the blankets they had stashed away in the tree house, they made a bed of their coats and a blanket, saving one to cover up with. For a brief moment, they paused, staring at each other over the love nest they'd made, silently acknowledging what they were about to do, what they wanted to give to each other. In a flash, they reached for one another, mashing their mouths together and pulling at each other's clothing. Fast and greedy, like they were afraid the other might slip away at any moment.

Pushing his already opened shirt off his shoulders, Bella realized that she couldn't think. She could only want. And she wanted it all - the masculine smell of him, the feel of the muscles in his shoulders as they bunched when he swept her sweater over her head, the feel of his tongue on her skin as he traced along the edge of her bra, before he removed that too.

She ran her hands down his chest, swirling her fingertips through his auburn hair, as she trailed her way down, down, down to the button on his jeans and popped it open. At that moment, he took her by the hips, lifting her without hesitation as he knelt to the floor. Laying her back on the makeshift bed, his breath caught as he looked at her. When she moved to cover herself, Edward stopped her hands. "No, don't. Don't deny me this . . . I want to see and feel all of you." He worshiped her with his eyes, murmuring "so beautiful," before leaning down to devour every bit of exposed skin with teeth and tongue and lips.

Bella stroked and tugged at his hair, gripping him to her, and as his tongue swept lower on her abdomen, she felt him unbutton her pants and she lifted her hips to help him with their removal. A tug, and the rustle of the rest of his clothing being removed, was all the warning she received before he pierced her with a look of such longing, that it made her skin tingle. In a fierce and sudden move, he flashed back up her body till they were face-to-face, bare skin to bare skin, intimately touching.

"Now," he whispered against her mouth.

"Right now," she breathed, readily agreeing.

He filled her. She surrounded him. Time had no meaning to them, lost in the sensation. In the pale light that streamed in through the window, their two hearts pounded together, synched up and matching each other beat for beat, yet neither body moved. They stayed on the precipice for an immeasurable moment, until she arched her back, he shifted his hips, and fresh pleasure flooded them both. As the pace quickened, she met him thrust for thrust, and soon he felt her nails digging into his flesh, and as her back arched and she moaned her pleasure, he couldn't help but tumble over the edge into bliss with her.

~o~

**A/N: **

**Looks like it was a** _soft_**lemon**** tree still thriving in the meadow. ;) Thanks to The Lovely TwiWeasel for plucking that lemon off the tree. My prereaders seemed to think this story didn't need a lemon including TwiWeasel, but then she wrote one up and we knew it belonged!**

**Short update tomorrow.**


	10. Ready to Say It

**A/N: Thank you again to The Loverly TwiWeasel for working out the lemony goodness in the last chapter. It was great having her be part of this story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Ready to Say It

~xOx~

~o~

_Bella_. Edward's heart smiled at as he was coming out of his fulfilling sleep, with Bella as his first thought.

As he stirred, he groaned with an "_ugh_" and tried to stretch out his back muscles. Sleeping on the hard wooden floor of the tree house was far from comfortable despite the way they had padded it with their coats, but slowly he recalled why he was there and what they had shared. He told himself he would sleep on hot coals if he had to just to be with her, though now he would never have to. She had chosen to be with him, to stay with him. He was hers and she was his. All that was left was for him to tell her that he loved her. He was ready to say it.

He shifted then grasped at the thin blanket at his fingertips. It was still so cold, and he wanted to make sure she was staying covered. As he tugged the blanket upward and over slightly, he realized the space Bella had occupied next to him felt empty.

_"Bella_," he tried to say but only a muffled sound was heard. His mouth barely opened; his lips were too dry and felt sealed together.

"Edward?"

He moved his arm and reached his hand out for her.

~o~

**A/N:**

**Well he better get those lips unsealed quickly! There's still lots of kissing to do!**


	11. Not Ready To Hear It

**A/N: Your reviews and reactions are so much appreciated. Can I ask one thing? Keep them coming? (please)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Not Ready To Hear It

~xOx~

~o~

Warmth smothered his hand.

"Edward?"

His eyes fluttered.

"Edward?"

Esme Cullen had camped out in the hospital for three days, ever since her youngest son was admitted. Edward stirred, still feeling the discomfort in his back, pain in his abdomen, and weakness when he tried to move his legs. He wedged open his eyes, away from the voice, seeing a metal pole with a pale peach wall beyond it. Slicing through the grogginess was an annoying beep sound emitting not far from his head.

"Honey, it's mom. Can you hear me?" Esme asked hopefully.

Edward's eyes opened wider as he suddenly realized how vastly different his setting was from where he just seemed to be. He felt an immediate loss as he licked his lips and tried to moisten his mouth before speaking her name only softly to himself in agony, "_Bella_." A single tear rolled down his cheek, as he tried to blink back any more.

"Honey?" she asked again. He slowly turned to see it was his mother there, clasping his hand.

"_Mom?_ How did I-?"

"Oh Edward, I've been so worried. How do you feel? Are you in pain?"

"I feel…_ugh, _out of it. _Mom_?" Edward shook his head, still unable to accept his surroundings.

"Here, drink some of this." She placed a straw directly at his mouth, and he internally cringed at how metallic the tap water tasted as he swigged some down. "You're going to be just fine, honey. I'm going to see if your father is available yet. He can explain it all better."

He was done with the water, releasing the straw from his lips, and Esme placed it at his bedside table. As she stood, she smiled down at her boy. "I'll be right back. Stay here okay?"

"Where else am I gonna go?"

Edward watched his mom leave the room. It was a sobering realization that he was in a hospital. He groaned at how uncomfortable he felt before shutting his eyes, trying to reimagine the place he was just in and the passionate connection he felt to a girl that he suddenly realized was only a dream.

He picked up his head and dropped it back down forcefully to the pillow, draping his arm across his face.

"Fuck!" he snapped, if only to himself.

~o~

**A/N: **

**Please check out the great banners and story pictures on my profile made by Kassie and BellaTesoro! So cute and fun. Thank you so much to them! Speaking of Tesoro, I'm thinking after previous discussions with her that she's going to save me a seat in her 4th grade class for 'pulling the dream card.' **

**Please hold your rotten tomato tossing until the story ends. ****From here on out there will a lot going on, and I know you will *think* you have everything all figured out at any several given moments within ****the story, but you won't. **

***holds pinky out* _Meadow forever?_**


	12. Ready to Leave

**A/N: Favor to ask: When it comes to the medical ins and outs, please just accept what I have written as me using my creative license, esp if you have a healthcare background. I used to watch ER with a healthcare provider that would point out everything the 'doctors' and 'nurses' did wrong—from they forgot to check the airway to they would never give that dosage of medicine. This is fiction, let it be so. Thanks! **

**I hang on to every single word you guys put into reviews! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Ready to Leave

~xOx~

~o~

The meadow was a familiar enough place for him, including the old swing set and tree house. It's the place where his father taught him and his older brother, Emmett, how to play baseball while growing up and where he escaped to with a blanket and his guitar as a teenager to forget about the unexplained loneliness he often felt. It was always the first place he went to once he was home for summer breaks during college. Oddly though, it had never been a place he had taken girls to, and he wondered why that was.

Edward's mother returned alone. "Oh honey, your dad said we just had to give it time for the antibiotics to kick in. I'm so relieved." She placed her hand to his forehead noting how it felt then moving her hand to his cheek.

She gave him an endearing smile. "I think the fever is gone. Are you sore?"

"No." Edward was trying to retrace his steps to figure out how he ended up in a hospital, but all he could think of were days he spent in the meadow with a girl named Bella Swan. "I mean, somewhat."

"I brought you ice chips. Would you like some?" she asked.

He declined thinking how there weren't enough ice chips in the world to numb the ache he felt.

"You're appendix ruptured so they had to remove it, but then you spiked a high fever with an infection. I'm just thankful you were home from Berkeley and your father could treat you here."

"I'm glad I was home too. Is Dad coming soon?" Edward wanted his dad to clear him so he could leave.

"He got called in to be a pair of extra hands in the ER a little earlier today. There was a pretty bad accident that happened out on the 101. I heard them call another Code Blue about fifteen minutes ago."

Edward groaned. How much longer did he have to hang around this shithole.

A female nurse entered the room and checked Edward's vital signs. "All of your numbers are improved, Edward. It's good to see you awake. Are you hungry? I can get you some broth. That's all Dr. Cullen included on the orders for now." Broth sounded as empty as Edward felt right now. Not only did he not want broth, no offense to his mom, but he didn't want to be left in his current company.

"Edward, you should eat. You need to rebuild your strength," Esme [_s_]mothered him.

The nurse proceeded to chat with Esme and explained that if Dr. Cullen was held up much longer in the ER she would have Dr. Gerandy check in on Edward.

"Fine, I'll have broth."

After the nurse left, a tap came on the door. A tapping that made Edward curious, as he suddenly realized he was hoping to see his Bella, hoping it might be her in his real life. He still couldn't shake his dream.

"Mrs. Cullen?" A voice was heard as the nurse exited the door.

"Tanya," Esme seethed then cleared her throat remembering a recent conversation in which Edward had scolded her, urging her to accept that Tanya was likely a part of his future and that she had better start being nicer to her. That is, of course, if Tanya were to say, "yes."

"_Dear,_" Esme rolled her eyes while still facing Edward. "Do come in."

~o~

**A/N:**

**Yes, I know! Light bulbs just lit up across the minds of FF readers everywhere. ****Just wait. It's gonna take a while still to get **_**there**_**.**

**"Meadow forever?" *holds out pinky***


	13. ReConsidering The Future

**A/N: I have seriously talented friends! Check out the story banner made for me collaboratively by 17ForeverLisa and CreationsJules. Link on my profile page. Look closely in the leaves!**

**THANK YOU for the banner, chickadees! It's very pretty and could not more perfectly convey details of the story. **

**Every single beautiful word you guys write in your reviews I pocket into my heart. ( LwE is LOL-ing at this.) Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>[Re]Considering the Future

~xOx~

~o~

"Hey handsome! You look so much better." Tanya was a dirty blonde with full corkscrew curls and too much caked-on makeup who stood in aqua scrubs in the doorway praising Edward in a way that irritated Esme. "I'm just relaying a message from Dr. Cullen. Some of the family members of the car crash are fairly unsettled down there. He wanted to know if you could talk to them Mrs. C."

_Mrs. Cullen, _Esme corrected Tanya in her head. _I'll give you Mrs. C, Pinky Tuscadero. _Esme looked to Edward and tousled his hair as she decided whether or not to leave her son's side. "Patient advocate duties seem to be calling. Will you be okay if I leave now for a bit?"

"Sure, Mom. Go."

"I could stay with you. I'm on my break." Tanya made an offer she wasn't expecting Edward to even consider refusing. Edward looked back toward the wall completely incapable of acknowledging Tanya. The only girl he wanted to be there with him was a girl who didn't even exist.

"Thank you, Tanya. That would make me feel better." Esme was only half lying as she exited the room.

Tanya approached Edward slowly and moved to stroke his forehead and drag her hot-pink polished nails down his stubble-covered cheek. "Well this hasn't been much of a reunion for us. How are you feeling?"

"Not the best." He muttered hoping she might take the hint. As she lovingly smoothed out his blanket and rested her hand on his shoulder he realized this was _Tanya _standing here and he couldn't hurt her over a dream. Tanya was the one who was here with him. He knew she cared for him. He turned to face her.

"Were my parents okay?"

"Yeah. Just worried. We were all worried about you, but your mom was so worried that she was even nice to me." She grinned at him. "She told me she appreciated it when I would come by and offer to bring extra blankets or tell her I could bring her up a cup of coffee."

"Thanks for doing that." Edward returned her smile. Care and concern came naturally to Tanya. She would do anything for him.

"How have you been?" he forced himself to ask her.

"How am I? Edward, this freaked me the fuck out! _That's_ how I am. You're home from college less than three weeks and I'm thinking I will finally get to spend time with you and this happens?"

"I'm sorry." It was an apathetic apology. He actually would gladly put _anyone_ through that again to get back to the vividness of the dream he was having.

There were no windows in his room, and Edward was suddenly distracted by the weather, even though he should have been trying to appease Tanya's dramatic response. Prior to that dream, that is what he would have done, said something to lower her maintenance.

"What's the weather like out there today?"

"_Wow! _You're asking me about the weather? It's rainy and cold, with thick fog. Another shitty day in Forks."

Edward sighed heavily, irritated by Tanya's description of the weather. It wasn't her fault. She had no idea that just before she walked into the room he had envisioned the possibility of him leaping out of that hospital bed, getting dressed and going to the meadow to find another girl who always reassured him she would wait there for him, but the news of the weather dampened that notion.

"When are you leaving?" she asked.

"As soon as I can," Edward responded still plotting to get to the meadow behind his house. He was distracted more and more by thoughts of needing to be there. Needing to look there for Bella, see for himself.

"Well _soon_ barely gives us enough time to figure out what we want for our future. I haven't decided if I'm moving away with you or not."

_Moving with you?_ Edward inhaled slowly and deeply trying to mask an internal, "_Ugh" _He realized she was talking about Harvard. _Fuck Harvard. Harvard can wait. I'm not leaving Forks any time soon, _he told himself vehemently.

"Tanya, can we talk about this later? I'm still really out of it." Edward didn't want to think about a future with or without Tanya. He needed some time to re-adjust to thinking about even having a future. Harvard was going to be tough to get through. He knew it would be a long journey, much different than where he just was. But dreams have a way of being like that—peaceful, easy.

"Okay, sure, Edward. My break is almost over anyway. I have to head back up to the supply room and bring some things down to the ER. I get off at ten tonight, so I'll stop back then." She leaned down and kissed his forehead whispering, "love you" just before she walked away.

"Tanya, wait."

As she turned back around, Edward looked for something in her eyes—the fire he had always seen in Bella's eyes so clearly, even if it was just a dream.

"I might be reconsidering Harvard."

"Reconsidering? Why?" she cried out.

"I just had this really strange dream. And I'm not sure if it was meant to impact my life in some way, you know."

"Edward, who allows a dream to alter their life? Well you can tell me about it later. I have to get back for my shift." She motioned with her thumb that she was heading out.

"Hey Tanya, do you regret moving to Forks back when you were in middle school?"

Tanya paused as she held the door open. "I absolutely hate the weather and that my mom and I had to move in with my grandparents, but no, I don't regret it. It's what brought me to you. Rest up, handsome. I'll see you later."

Edward forced a smile to her and moved to sit up as an orderly entered with a tray.

~o~

**A/N: **

**And to answer Tanya's question about 'who allows a dream to alter their life?' Well, we all know the answer to that! In a cheesier version of this chapter I probably had Edward answer her with "Stephenie Meyer." LOL **

**Now don't grip that tomato in your hand so hard that you pierce it and tomato juice squirts out. That stuff stains!**

***Edward sings along with Gavin DeGraw* "Dreams, that's where I have to go to see your beautiful face...I'm not over you."**

**Story rec: "Wicked by Blood" by Eila It just started! With Eila you can always expect 'wickedly' good writing!**

**Listed in with my Favorite Stories! She is also reposting 'Random Angels' which remains one of my favorite FF stories of all time.**


	14. Amid Unfortunate Timing

**A/N: Thank you for being here! When my hubby left for work yesterday morning he kissed me and said, "See you Harvard." lol **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Amid Unfortunate Timing

~xOx~

~o~

"Edward, my main man!"

"Frank," Edward acknowledged him quietly. Frank was a longtime hospital employee over the last twenty years. Prior to that, he found himself in the ER one too many times after getting into fights as a teenager and then spent too much time floundering at odd jobs. After being rushed to and treated in Forks Hospital once for gall stones, it was Dr. Cullen who had given him a chance to work a steady job, finally grounding him in Forks. Frank was more than happy to bring trays of food to patients with a smile. Gratitude was seen daily in response to him just doing his job, and he was thankful to the Cullens, who had included him over the years at their annual summer picnics.

"Here you go." Edward quickly opened a bottle of water from the tray Frank at set on his side table. Edward smiled and thanked Frank. "Good to see you awake. Soup of the day, everything should be all to your liking."

Everything was not to Edward's liking. In fact, his current state of health, his feelings for Tanya, and his remote location were all very much to his _disliking_. He sipped his water and stared blankly straight ahead.

"Your mom has been real worried about you. The doc, too. Oh, they knew you were just knocked out for a little while, but still. See that?" Frank pointed to a bag attached near the head of the bed, not far from the IV drip, to which Edward nodded. "That's some potent stuff right there, a little morphine to help with the pain after surgery."

"_Ugh_, no wonder I still feel like shit." _Morphine_, Edward thought, _hallucination and dream inducer to the stars_. No wonder it had seemed so real. "I'm sure I'll be fine once I get all of this out of my system," Edward offered up to Frank. Though Edward suspected physically his health would be restored, he doubted his heart would ever recover from the pain in it – a once familiar ache now intensified. It persisted despite the sight of Tanya, a girl who, prior to his dream, he would have claimed he cared for more than any other girl he had known in his life - a girl he had been willing to defend to his mom even, though she never completely filled the void he had always felt. _Morphine_, he thought to himself again. No wonder he felt like he had possibly just walked along the trail of death and met an unattainable angel there.

"Well you take care now. My shift is actually over, and I happened to catch a glimpse of the policeman who busted me stealing from Newton's Sporting Goods years ago downstairs in the cafeteria so I think I'll just slip out the back employee entrance and try to avoid that scene. Talk about a lasting impression. I'll tell you something young Edward, you never forget a face from certain moments in your life."

Edward thought over the features of Bella's face. He knew every inch of it from the wrinkle that shaped above her nose to the pink of her lips that deepened as the years went by. He closed his eyes and tried to immerse himself in the feeling of her telling him she wanted him and wondered how any dream could leave him feeling so completely altered. He spied the unattached morphine drip and cursed his father for having resorted to doping him up so heavily that it had messed with his head - and his heart - so badly.

And somewhere in the middle of his longing to be able to fall back asleep, permanently if so be it, he considered his future with Tanya. They had dated the summer before he left for college but had broken it off during Christmas break of that year, deciding it was just too hard to have a long distance relationship while he was at the University of California and she was at Seattle University. Her senior year, she had moved home, deciding to commute to school twice a week and got a job at the hospital. Amid unfortunate timing and cases of one seeing someone else when the other was available and vice versa, this was to be their second chance. They had even discussed Tanya moving out East with him.

~o~

**A/N: **

**You guys have shared some amazing theories with me. I'm floored that you would spend your time trying to figure this story out. **

***sings with Bella and Katy Perry* "In another life, I would make you stay so I don't have to say you were the one that got away. Whooooooooooa."**


	15. Keeping Up

**A/N: As long as this _thanking you guys_ thing isn't getting old, then I'll go ahead and say it again. Thank you for continuing to read and comment. **

**So, a Ferris Bueller sequel during SuperBowl, huh? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Keeping Up

~xOx~

~o~

Edward scrunched his face up and winced as he realized everything his body was hooked up to and wanted it all taken out, including the catheter. He pressed the call button and waited until a nurse came in, explaining to her that he wanted to get up out of his bed free from all the tubes. The nurse said she could remove the catheter but his IV would stay until after he saw his father.

Edward felt relieved to get up and stretch his muscles despite his discomfort across the surgical site. The dream had yet to leave in his mind, and he was ready to leave the hospital. He had no idea where he wanted to go to reconcile the dream—either somewhere to forget it or somewhere to recapture it—but he didn't want to be here in this cold, dank hospital anymore because it reeked of death, stolen childhoods, and missed opportunities.

The door swung open, and in strode Dr. Carlisle Cullen. "Son, thank God," Dr. Cullen exclaimed as Edward was hobbling out from the bathroom, his hand supporting his side. Carlisle helped him sit down on the hospital bed and hugged Edward firmly. Edward froze at the unusual extension of emotion he felt from his father.

He patted his father's back to reassure him, "Dad. I'm okay."

His father gripped him tightly, surprising Edward. "Son, I don't know what we would have done if we had lost you." Dr. Cullen realized just how tight he was squeezing Edward and released him slightly. "Sorry, it's been a long day."

Esme had entered the room quietly and leaned against the wall, smiling at the site of her son awake as opposed to the last couple of days, and touched to see two of the men she loved so dearly in such a tender embrace. When Edward realized she was there, he cleared his throat. "Hey Mom." Dr. Cullen turned and smiled at the sight of his wife.

"Lie back, son. I need to check the wound." Edward did as he was told but insisted he was feeling fine. Esme came to sit by his side. Dr. Cullen pulled on a pair of gloves snapping the latex at the end with a _pop._

As Dr. Cullen went about the examination he thanked Esme for speaking to the family members downstairs. "I'm sure you were a great comfort to them, as always."

"It certainly was not the way I would have wanted to see Renee again, especially after all these years," Esme said calmly.

"It never gets easier to look into another father's eyes and tell him horrible news about his child, especially someone we know." Carlisle's hand came to rest on Edward's shoulder. "That's why I'm so grateful you were home from college and I was able to treat you right away. Do you still feel groggy?"

"No. I think getting up and walking to the bathroom helped. Umm. . ." Edward coughed and was annoyed with the pain it caused in his abdomen. He realized he wasn't keeping up with the conversation very well.

"Who is it that you and mom know in the ER?"

"Oh dear God," Carlisle moved one hand to rest on his head, slightly shaking it before he related the sequence of events of this day that led to such a disheartening scenario in the ER. "There was such a terrible accident this morning on the 101. A tractor trailer jackknifed and the fog must have been too thick for oncoming traffic to see. Cars hit the truck from both directions. There were two DOAs and the family members filtering in have been just hysterical. That's why I asked Tanya to come get your mother." He turned toward Esme and took her hand within his. "It's more than unfortunate that of all days to visit Forks, Charlie's daughter had come here today."

~o~

**A/N: *holds Kleenex out* **

_**"Meadow forever?"**_


	16. Kneejerk Reaction

**A/N: Hope you all had a nice weekend! *holds pinky out* We're getting there with this story. Stick with me! _Meadow forever_?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Knee-jerk Reaction

~xOx~

~o~

Carlisle seemed beside himself for a moment and then stood and notated Edward's chart. "Edward, everything looks good. Someone from the lab will be up shortly to take some blood. I'll order some bland food for you to eat. Try to rest and I'll be back to check on you in a little while." He gave Edward a little chin bump with a silent "champ" to him and gave Esme a kiss on the cheek before exiting the room.

Esme pulled her phone out after she heard a text alert.

"It's Emmett. He's so worried about you. He's working a double shift but will call as soon as he can."

Carlisle's somber temperament was something Edward had not often witnessed in his father, though Edward was used to hearing about his father's work over the years - as much as he could tell without breaching patient confidentiality. Carlisle had tried his best to encourage Edward to go into the field of medicine. Edward's mind wandered to several nights of his father being called into the hospital and late dinner arrivals because of being kept in the hospital. His mother handled it well, but Edward couldn't see himself that dedicated to his place of work. It was Emmett, his protective older brother, who had followed in their father's footsteps and was currently completing his residency in Newport Beach. Emmett had a personality better suited for being a doctor, he could bounce back from all the loss more easily. Edward was thinking over this so deeply that he almost missed his mother talking.

"….and she was down there in the hall yelling how this was all his fault and they wouldn't have even been in Forks today if it wasn't for him. But you know I've seen it before, that knee-jerk reaction to blame someone. It all just comes from a place of feeling so helpless. So once she got that out of her system, I at least got her to make amends. And her poor husband, for as much as he has probably seen on the job as a cop, he's barely holding it together."

"_Huh?" _Edward was trying to tune back in to Esme as she spoke. "Who are we talking about here, Mom?"

"Charlie and Renee. They used to live in Forks years ago. I was sad to see them go. And it's a shame they didn't move back like they had originally planned to when they left. As I recall, Charlie was supposed to be on a special assignment for a couple of years and then return to Forks. You and Isabella would have grown up together."

It was as if Edward had just been given an intravenous dosage of confusion, rather than medicine, and it coursed through his body.

Esme watched as the expression changed on her son's face from normal Edward to confused with narrowed eyes and the wrinkles across his forehead becoming prominent. She could see something meaningful had triggered within his mind.

"You don't remember them, do you honey?"

"_Bella_?"

~o~

**A/N: I know. I know. Don't yell at me, just be sure to come back.**


	17. So Many Years Ago

**A/N: Many thanks to The Lovely TwiWeasel for her input into this very emotional chapter. Definitely want to hear your thoughts and theories after this chapter in the comments! So, so many of you reading that I would love to hear from! I'm probably needy that way. It's just that, I talked to one of my best friends today but could not bring myself to tell her I am writing this. She would not understand. You guys do since you read it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>So Many Years Ago

"Ahhh season's change with the scenery

Weaving time in a tapestry

Won't you stop and remember me."

**-Hazy Shade of Winter**

~xOx~

~o~

"Oh Edward, I didn't think you would have remembered her! Gosh, you were barely three years old, if that, when they moved away to Arizona. So, so many years ago." Esme sighed and stared off for a few seconds, happily lost in the memories of being a young mother, and missed the anxiousness in Edward's reaction. "I hate to say it, but if the Swans had only moved back earlier like they expected maybe this would never have happened."

"_Mom!" _Edward was overcome by a sudden surge of adrenaline shooting through his body, bringing every nerve ending to life, as he sat upward and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He wanted to stand but flinched back from the post-surgical pain he felt.

"You're telling me. . .

there's a girl. . .

named Bella Swan?

And she's here, in this hospital?

She's _real_?"

"Yes Edward, that's what I'm saying, but sadly the poor thing is _barely_ clinging to life."

Esme's words landed on him like a physical blow, knocking the wind out of him as he pieced it together. Bella was real but had been in the car wreck his father was lamenting over, her life now hanging in the balance, but at least she _was _still holding on.

"So what . . she used to live here? Was she moving back?" Edward asked while repetitively running his fingers through his hair, teetering on the brink of being frantic. His mind was wild with reasons of why she was here in Forks, all of which inexplicably included him in some way.

_Did she come to find me? Was she traveling to the meadow? Had she been at the meadow waiting for him? _

_How? How can she be here?_

_Here in Forks. Here in this hospital. _His heart sputtered as he finally accepted the possibility. _She's here. I need to get to her, _he thought.

"Mom, she's not. . .I mean, she's still alive?" He was desperate to confirm that.

"For now, yes but . . ."

Edward cut in urgently proclaiming, "I need to see her. Please mom, you've got to take me to her! Now!" Edward had practically jumped up from his bed, ignoring the pull of pain in his side and was trying to unravel the IV tube still attached to him.

"Edward, I don't think you're allowed down there in your condition. You've just had surgery and your body needs to heal."

Edward let out an impatient moan. "I don't give a rat's ass about _that_! I have to get to her. I-I can't explain it to you Mom, but I've dreamt of her, of knowing her all my life. Fuck, I don't know. . ." He scrubbed his face harshly. "Maybe a part of me just remembers her but I need to see her, especially if she is going to . . ."

Esme's reluctance was staggering. She knew the whole grim situation downstairs but was reticent to say anything more about it.

Edward's mind raced desperately trying to think of who else could help him. _Frank. _Frank had gone home. _Emmett._ Emmett, his quintessential older brother would help him, if he wasn't in California. _Tanya. _Tanya was still here working. She would do anything for him.

He winced from the pain as he again made a sudden movement. _Determined, he was going to make it downstairs to see her or die trying_, he told himself.

"I'll be right back with a wheelchair." Esme was quiet in her statement. As a patient advocate for the hospital, she was used to desperation expressed by patients and their loved ones. She knew she couldn't offer guarantees or even hope in many cases, but she did offer them a chance -a chance just to be there, and too often, a chance to say goodbye. She didn't fully understand Edward's sudden resurgence of a connection with Isabella Swan, a girl she remembered from play dates with Edward when they were mere toddlers, picnic play dates often held in the meadow area that connected the backyards of their homes. [_How could she understand his insistence to see her?_] But, she had already spent part of her afternoon walking a double-edged sword that allowed her to rejoice in her own son's recovery while drown in the despair of the looming end to the life of an old friend's daughter. She wasn't prepared to deny her son his request.

After helping him get settled into the wheelchair, Esme covered Edward's lap with a blanket. "Sorry I grabbed the first one I could find. It's an older model chair with no IV hanger. You'll have to bring the pole." He held firmly to the IV pole as his mother pushed his wheelchair down the hall and into the elevator, his mind still racing and jumbled with images and questions.

Would this be the girl he knew? Did he know her?

Dreams don't make sense most of the time. Had any of his made sense or had his mind evoked buried childhood experiences and continued them in a fantasy world?

Each meeting with Bella flashed in his mind -playing on the swing set, the clubhouse, the baseball game, how she kissed him first, and that last time, when their bodies made promises to each other. Those experiences felt real. He knew them well, revisited them like true memories.

"Mom, where the fuck are you taking me? This isn't the way to the ER," he said anxiously.

With that Esme pulled his wheelchair to a halt. "Edward! Calm down. Please. And curb your language young man. May I remind you that your father is on staff here. I won't have you blurting out profanities all through the halls. When I left before to come back to check on you, they were moving her into the intensive care unit."

Edward was thankful for his mother's position within the hospital, as he realized that the ICU meant only staff or immediate family would be permitted entry. Edward took a few deep breaths and promised her that he would pull it together.

When they came upon the room, Charlie Swan was in the hall looking in through the glass window. He acknowledged Esme's presence with a sullen nod.

"Charlie, this is Edward, my youngest son," Esme spoke gently.

"Hello Edward." Charlie wiped at his blurry eyes rather than extending him his hand.

Esme continued. "When he heard that the little girl he used to play with was here, he asked if he could come see her."

"At this point, I don't think it could hurt. Renee could probably use a minute to step out and compose herself." Charlie went in the room and pointed toward Esme and Edward. As Renee exited the room she instantly broke down on Esme's shoulder. Charlie was not really holding the door open for Edward, but Edward rolled himself through anyway, dragging along his IV pole, focused on seeing her for himself.

At the sight of the girl in the bed, his breath hitched – the gulp of air sitting heavily in his throat. His body tensed. His eyes watered. His heart panged.

All of those reactions.

Together.

Simultaneously.

Because, it _was_ her.

~o~

**A/N: Pffft...who thought she was dead? She's not dead...uhhh, _yet? _**

**Happiness now, rpfangirljr? :)**

**I'm not sure if this is a 2nd update for today or an early update for tomorrow. I lose track of time with this story sometimes. ****OMG I'm off and singing again, "If you're lost you can look and you will find me, time after time. If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting, time after time." **


	18. Meadow Forever

**A/N: I feel like I was bribed into posting this chapter tonight and yet I have nothing to show for it. Not even any new Robp0rn. All I got was the 12 month girls declaring this was give kiTT a hug day. wtf! That hug better come in a foil wrapper and manufactured by Hersheys. **

**Thanks as always for the reviews. And, coincidently, I wanna give extra thanks to TwiloveSue for totally calling me out on something in my writing that made me laugh this morning.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>_Meadow Forever_

~xOx~

~o~

There she was, exactly as he had last seen her in his dream, the long, chocolate hair and pale skin, hooked up to a machine that was presumably keeping her alive. He bit his knuckle and let out a cry not knowing what to say to her. She didn't know him, yet he was sure he knew her, or at least knew the person she wanted to be most.

"Bella," he murmured.

She lay unresponsive with her eyes closed. He cleared his throat. "I'm here," he spoke in a more normal tone, "but. . .I just don't know what to say . . ." Beeping could be heard all around him, mocking him. "Maybe I should say what I think you might say to me. Uh. That's probably not a good idea because you don't know me." He scrubbed his face and pulled at his eyes. "Do you? Do you know me?"

He snuck a glance out the door to make sure no one was watching him before reaching for her hand and looping his finger around her pinky.

"_Meadow forever_," he whispered lifting her finger up to his lips and placing a gentle kiss there, just as he had done in the meadow. He closed his eyes and recreated that last time he was there. It was hardly a flourishing dreamy meadow at that point—so cold with brown patches where grass once was. Everything that had once been so full of life there had died off. It wasn't a good place to be right now. Besides, he needed her here, awake, with him.

That's when it hit him. "No!" He dropped their hands together letting them fall to the side of her bed. He chastised himself for how stupid he had been getting her to pledge meadow forever to him.

"No! _No!_ Not _meadow forever_! Screw the meadow Bella, do you hear me?" he said adamantly. "You can't stay there anymore. I'm not there anymore. I'm here. And I need you here. With me. I'm begging you to come back. I need to see your eyes look at me that way, for real," he pleaded with her. "We were kids, we thought we knew, but . . . we didn't know. You can't be there. Not anymore Bella."

He waited for some reaction from her. He watched intensely hoping for her to open her eyes, to hear and recognize him calling her, but there was nothing.

He released her hand and reached over to cup her cheek. His voice dropped to a desperate whisper. "Bella, you let me love you there. Please, please baby, come back to me."

Edward sniffed and stifled a sob. He knew that if she stayed there [_in the meadow_], she would die.

And yet, what could make her leave the meadow where she had promised to stay with him forever.

What could override that pinky swear they had made?

"Bella, I love you."

~o~

**A/N: *Pulls pinky away* You heard Edward, screw the meadow! [Or did he say screw in the meadow?] **


	19. The Rules Changed

**A/N: So we're almost at the end! GAH! Love your reviews like I love whipped topping on my Dutch coffee. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>The Rules Changed

~xOx~

~o~

No response.

Tears rolled out of the corners of Edward's closed eyes and ran down the sides of his face. As he waited for Bella to wake up, he thought over things she had told him.

_And it's not just what I have to go back to—that life—it's that I have to go back to it without you._

"I'm here now, Bella. You can come back now, and I'll be here with you."

Bella Swan's body was like a broken branch, limp and barely clinging to it's tree. While driving to Forks to meet and spend time with her college boyfriend's family she could barely see through the area's dense fog and slammed into a disabled tractor trailer causing internal wounds of broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a concussion as well as a broken leg. The injuries seemed manageable enough to the ER doctors, so they were puzzled as to why she coded and, once resuscitated, needed to be maintained on a ventilator. Though her body lay there, her spirit roamed elsewhere. While she had almost died, Bella's spirit had found a lovely place to hover in between two worlds, and now if there was a choice to be made, waking up in the hospital did not seem to be the frontrunner.

"Edward?"

A quiet voice approached from behind. Renee put out her hand, then retracted it when she saw he had been crying. "Wow, look at you. Sweetie, it's so good to see you. Your mom tells me you've turned out to be everything we always said we wanted for our kids." She looked at Bella and tears overwhelmed her eyes. "So had Bella, to us."

"_Had_? What do you mean _had_? Are you giving up on her?" Edward was annoyed, and the surge of anger he felt stopped his tears. "She's going to wake up soon." He was insistent, rather than polite, before switching to pleading. "She has to, Mrs. Swan. I-I want to know her again."

"I don't think you'll have a chance." Renee moved to the other side of Bella and took her hand as she listened to the sound of machines working. To Edward, Renee sounded like a mother who had given up on her daughter, but Edward didn't have all of the facts. Bella had been offered her college boyfriend's marriage proposal a few weeks after she graduated from college. Today she was traveling to his hometown of Forks to meet up with him and his family, and, though they traveled separately from Bella, Renee and Charlie had also been invited and were due to join them at the Newton's home by early afternoon. As if on cue, in walked a stocky guy with short spikey blonde hair.

"How is she?" he asked before recognizing Edward. "Cullen? Uh hey dude, what are you doing here?"

_Newton? Mike Newton? Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me! This is the Mike that Bella told me about?_ Edward wanted to yell out so badly.

"Michael. I'm so glad you're back," Bella's mom said approvingly. "And about before, I'm sorry. Are we okay?" She gestured slightly between the two of them, to which Mike waved her off. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you would know Edward. His parents and our family go way back from when we used to live in Forks." She smiled over at Edward warmly before looking back at Mike. "As for Bella, there hasn't been any change."

It's not that Mike Newton was a _bad_ guy. He certainly was _that guy _though, the high school football and basketball jock [_jerk_] that everyone tried to attach themselves to in some way. He was full of himself but shit at swinging a bat. Edward remembered how in high school Mike had an on-again, off-again girlfriend, Jessica, who liked the make-up / break-up drama caused by cheating on Mike. She had even propositioned Edward's friend Tyler once at a party, leading to breakup No. 8 for them. But still, Edward seethed, wondering how it could be that Bella moved away from Forks, and in a twist of fate it was Newton, and not him, who ended up meeting up with her again in college.

Edward suddenly believed that fate was playing the cruelest of jokes on him. Then, out of the corner of his peripheral vision, Edward spied that Bella was not wearing an engagement ring.

Mike was still looking over at Edward questioning his presence.

Edward kept his head down, focused on Bella. "I heard she was here, and since I was already a patient myself, I wanted to see her. It's been a long while since we last saw each other here in Forks." Edward never took his eyes off Bella and added a lie in for good measure. "Though somewhere along the way we crossed paths and managed to catch up with each other."

"Really?" Renee returned with surprise in her voice. "She never told me that."

"Yeah, dude. Your name has never come up." Mike moved to wrap his arm around Renee in a comforting, though territorial, gesture.

Edward sighed in exasperation of the game he had to now play out. He looked Mike dead in the eyes. "Well your name sure did, Mike. Though. . ." Edward knew he was taking a risk with what he was about to say next. He didn't know how much of his dream had been real and how much was made up in his mind at this point. ". . .I think most recently she talked more about how excited she was to have gotten into Harvard." Edward shifted his eyes to see Renee's reaction.

"Oh _she was_! She always dreamt of going there. But now. . ." Renee began to sob as she burdened her mind with thoughts of her daughter never making it out of the hospital.

_She's dreamt of more than that, _Edward thought to himself. He felt jubilant but was careful not to outwardly smile.

"She wasn't going to go," Mike interjected.

Edward had blocked out Mike talking as he thought over things he had told Bella. _If you're here, then I want to stay here forever, too. So then we stay here together. _He had gotten her to promise to stay with him there in the meadow, and now the rules had changed without her knowing. And yet, how could he explain it to her if she wasn't waking up. How long would he have to wait?

He couldn't sit by and watch Bella any more, especially not while Mike was there, but down deep he knew that he needed to get through to her somehow.

"Thank you for letting me visit her, Mrs. Swan. Please let my father know as soon as she wakes up."

"I will Edward."

"You're wrong, you know, Mrs. Swan. There _has _been a change."

He tenderly brushed his pinky against Bella's pinky inconspicuously and silently vowed to her, "I'll find a way back."

~o~

**A/N: You may need to go back and reread this chapter. :) **

***whispers* He hasn't left the room yet. **


	20. Superman Complex

**A/N: Friday Bonus—I merged two sections into one for today. My cat, my beta, was not happy about my choice to do so. Please leave me a review saying what a good decision it was to back me up! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s **

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Superman Complex

~xOx~

~o~

Renee looked at him questioningly but perked up slightly. Edward turned his wheelchair around awkwardly on his own, and Mike Newton gladly stepped over to hold the door open for him and helped to maneuver the IV pole out. Edward thanked him [interrupting Mike's _'don't let the door hit you in the wheelchair on the way out' _thoughts] but seized the opportunity to confirm more details of his dream encounters with Bella.

"Bella told me you were planning on proposing."

"Yeah, that's right," Mike agreed.

"So just one question then, where's the ring?"

Mike frowned before admitting, "She hasn't given me her answer yet." Again, Edward tried very hard to make sure he didn't convey how elated he was over the news.

Edward extended his hand out. "Well good luck to you." Mike Newton unwillingly shook his hand, which Edward grasped tightly as he continued, "And I assume you had planned to move out East with her, as an engaged couple?" Mike Newton's grip tensed before letting go. That had _not_ been his plan_. His plan_ was to get married right away and settle in Forks where he would use his business degree to branch out to nearby towns and open more sporting goods stores with Bella by his side helping to run them. _His plan_ was to secure a 'yes' to his proposal by finally bringing Bella to the area, introducing her to his family, and showing her the kind of life they could have together, that she didn't need Harvard. Edward could see it all written across his face and chuckled a "Huh" as he thought, _Unbelievable._

Edward looked back at Bella and considered her thoughts about who she wanted to be versus who she would have to compromise to be in this life. He knew he would never make her give up on her dreams. And though it pained him to have to leave her side after finding her, he told himself that he wasn't going to give up on her.

"Nevermind, the most important thing is that she wakes up so she can give you an answer." Mike nodded in agreement.

Esme approached and secured the handles of the wheelchair. "Mom, where's Dad? I need to talk to you both. It's important."

As they left down the hall, Esme asked Edward if he felt better having had seen Bella again and he agreed that he did but wasn't ready to explain everything to his mom but confirmed to her, "She's exactly as I had seen her in my dream."

They entered Carlisle's office, and Esme took a seat suggesting the three of them take the time to pray together to thank the Lord for Edward's recovery and to ask Him to bless Isabella Swan too.

"Amen." Edward finished abruptly. "Look Dad, I know this is going to sound strange, but I need your help. I need you to knock me out somehow. I don't know how it all works, how deeply, if I need to just fall asleep or a coma or. . ."

"Edward slow down! What are you talking about, son?" Carlisle chided in a manner that was unusual to his normal calm demeanor.

"I'm talking about Bella." Edward owned every word he said. "I can save her, Dad."

"You can save her? How? We've done all we can. Only God can save that girl at this point, Edward."

"You're wrong, Dad. She's out there, waiting for me, and if I don't get to her first, she's going to die. I just know it." Bella's words ran through Edward's mind over and over each time she said she would wait for him.

Edward and Esme looked at each other and a similar thought crossed their minds. Edward was still under the effects of the morphine and wasn't making sense. There was a latent side effect to morphine of hallucinations, and he clearly was having such, apparently a hallucination that included him having a bit of a Superman complex.

"Dad, I don't care how you do it, I just need you to sedate me. Make me unconscious again so I can get to her."

"Unconscious? Edward do you hear yourself? This is crazy! The only thing you need to do is go back to your room and wait for the lab technician to draw your blood then rest. He was already there and you weren't in your room," Carlisle rasped.

Edward groaned out of frustration, causing Esme to address him.

"Edward, I don't think you realize what you're asking. The risks involved are tremendous," Esme responded with a calm tone trying to remain sympathetic to her son.

Edward could see the confusion on his parents' faces, like he was pleading his case in another language and asking for the utmost impossible. But he believed it _was_ possible. And he knew every moment he spent sitting in this chair trying to convince his parents was being wasted. Edward stood himself up harshly and pounded his fist down on his father's desk, the ripple from it knocking over a few of Carlisle's personal items.

"Damn it, Dad! You're not listening to me." Esme retracted in her seat at her son's outrage. Her son was never one to be outwardly violent, but she saw a resemblance to her own husband who would sometimes make a physical gesture when frustrated enough in trying to make his point.

"Edward! Calm down." Carlisle gritted his teeth. "I won't have you destroying my office, and more than that, I won't lose my son to some fantasy knight in shining armor notion he has. You want to save lives, then you should have gone to school and studied medicine."

"So that's it? I should have been a doctor? Why? You just said it's out of the doctors' hands now!"

"Everything okay?" A worried look engaged Tanya's face as she happened by Dr. Cullen's office. Edward had sat back down in his chair bringing his knuckles to his mouth to keep from a further outburst and felt the rush of pain radiating from his incision site. He was getting nowhere with his parents. He was happy to see Tanya. At least she could take him back to see Bella.

"Tanya. No it's not okay. My parents here need a few minutes alone to think about a favor I asked them for. Is there any chance you escort me back?"

"Sure," Tanya said.

Carlisle picked up his phone. "Edward, I'm calling the lab and will send someone up to your room to draw the blood. And then I'll be up in ten minutes to make sure you didn't loosen your stitches with this little performance."

_Fuck! _

"Mom, tell him. Explain it to him. You don't want her to die either. I know you don't. You saw how upset her parents are. Make Dad understand."

~o~

Edward waited until they were in the elevator alone. He reached back and took Tanya's hand in his. "Tanya, I need your help."

"All the Cullen men do today. You're father had called me asking if I knew where you were. So what do you need?"

Edward's tone was serious. "You can't ask me any questions, and, I can't promise you the second chance I know we talked about."

"Okay Edward, you're scaring me."

"Look, you work in the hospital supply area. I know you have access to the hospital drugs. I need something strong enough to knock me out."

"Strong enough to knock you out? What do you mean?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"Codeine. . . OxyContin. . .anything like that." The doors opened to the elevator and Tanya pushed him out. There were nurses walking by, so Tanya leaned down and whispered into Edward's ear.

"You know I can't do that. I would get fired."

"Can't or won't?" Edward growled. "I know about the machine and needing the key and the permission code, but I also know there is an extra stash that is maintained outside of all the records."

"Edward, I'm sorry, but if there is, I don't know anything about it. If you're in that much pain, why don't you just tell your father?"

"I already did," he snapped back as she opened the door to his room. Disgusted that he wasn't getting his way he added, "I can get myself back into bed." He didn't want her to come any further into his room. He just needed time alone to think about what he could do. He stood himself up and reached out to hug her lightly. He whispered a pleading into her ear, "Please, Tanya, if I ever meant anything to you. If there is anything you can do, or can bring me."

Tanya had always been purely infatuated with Edward. It wasn't love, but it was a need to please him and have his attention, because having his beautiful emerald eyes transfixed on you or his warm, musky skin against yours was all encompassing, electric, and addictive. She walked away saying she would try, desperately not wanting to lose her second chance with him.

Edward closed the door with a loud slam as he forced himself toward the bed. Despair had taken over him as he found himself within the confines of four walls again physically separated from Bella. He was in his room. Bella lay downstairs in a hospital bed. Technically, they were both in the same place for the first time in years, but he knew it wasn't a hallway, or an elevator ride, or even hospital policy that was keeping them apart.

"_I'm not leaving. This is where my heart has always been and will always remain, here with you_."

He cursed silently to himself over the words Bella had pledged that last time he saw her. The same words that had tied her to him would now keep them from reuniting.

He angrily shoved the chair his mother had sat on for the last few days out of his way, bringing the pole he had been dragging around with him crashing over onto the floor. He was going to give his father one more chance to help him, but if not, _I'll beat myself into a bloody pulp to get to her, _he thought.

_So help me, I'll bang my head against the wall until I black out if I have to, _he threatened his father who was not even there yet.

He was about to finally rip the damn IV out when he spotted the morphine drip still perched on the rack by the bed.

~o~

**A/N: **

**I think once this is done I will do a blog post that incorporates some of the email theories/reactions I have received (with permission) and maybe do a Q&A. How does that sound? I would also like to talk about the influence of one of my favorite television show's episode on this story. **

**Do you follow my blog? www (dot) tonguetwied (dot) blogspot (dot) com**


	21. It Will Rain

**A/N: Thank you for being here. I'm not big into the whole SuperBowl, please leave me reviews to help me counteract the football frenzy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s "It Will Rain" lyrics by Bruno Mars. No copyright infringement intended. Music Montage effect intended.**

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>It Will Rain

~xOx~

~o~

_If you ever leave me baby_

_Leave some morphine at the door_

'_Cause it will take a whole lot of medication_

_To realize what we used to have,_

_We don't have it any more_

_~o~_

_There's no religion that could save me_

_No matter how long my knees are on the floor._

_So keep in mind all the sacrifices I'm makin'_

_Will keep you by my side_

_And keep you from walkin' out the door._

_~o~_

_Cause there'll be no sunlight_

_If I lose you, baby_

_There'll be no clear skies,_

_If I lose you, baby_

_Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same_

_If you walk away,_

_Every day it will rain, rain, rain _

_~o~_

Mud.

It was thick - sloshing and splashing with every step.

The fog had set in, but it didn't veil the pelting rain. He increased his efforts to maneuver his legs as he made his way through the mud, having yet to find anything. On a brighter day, he could have seen for several yards but today the rain was coming down sideways, plopping itself on his lips and eyelashes, and creating a wall as far as his eyes could see. And it was noisy.

"Bel-la!" he called out desperately into the sheeting rain. "Bel-la!"

There was so much ground to cover and yet somehow the meadow felt smaller, like part of it had disappeared. _Cover. She would have taken cover in this rain, _he told himself. Edward turned and made his way to the tree house, slopping through the thickness of leaves mixed in with the mud, expecting to find her there. "Bella!" he yelled urgently as he took the ladder rungs two at a time and hoisted himself inside.

She wasn't there.

"Too late! Fuck, I'm too late!" He pounded his fists to the wall.

_In this weather, if she wasn't in here then where else would she be?_

He sunk down on the floor of the tree house, broken, pressing his fists angrily to his forehead threatening the tears not to start.

"Damn it Bella, why didn't you wait for me?" he cried out. "You said you'd wait!"

The sobs overtook him as he inched his back up against the wall, pulling his knees up despite how dirty, wet, and heavy his pants were. He grasped at the one blanket that remained there, bringing it up to his face to wipe away at the salty-rain mix. He caught her scent on it and began to bury his nose in areas of the material where her Bella-esque was still concentrated, seeking comfort as he clung to the smallest bit of her essence.

~o~

_Oh don't just say goodbye_

_Don't just say, goodbye_

_I'll pick up those broken pieces til I'm bleeding_

_If that'll make it right._

_'Cause there'll be no sunlight_

_If I lose you, baby_

_There'll be no clear skies,_

_If I lose you, baby_

_Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same_

_If you walk away,_

_Every day it will rain, rain, rain _

_~o~_

"**_Edward!_ Oh Edward, _nooooo_! What did you do!"**

~o~

**A/N: I updated my storyboard. Link on profile page. **

**Hopefully no one is sick of that song yet. They play it **

**every hour here. **

**I had hope to finish this out today but yesterday got away from me.**


	22. I Belong With You

**A/N: In conclusion. . .**

**(just a note about FF theft: No matter what you do, believe enough in your own creativity to explore it, rather than steal someone else's story.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. j/s **

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><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>I Belong With You

**~oXo~**

**~o~**

Tree branches snapped in half roughly just outside the tree house, and he picked his head up at the sound. As he looked around the tiny room, he saw where, as teenagers, they had carved their initials into a wooden plank just under the nails and, as kids, written _Meadow forever _in marker above a large arrow that was meant to point out toward the meadow_. _His eyes followed the invisible path of the arrow, and from his vantage point, off in the distant part of the meadow, by a section neither of them had ever entered from, he saw what looked like a flashlight beam shining beyond the trees. It was beautiful against the backdrop of the darkness and the dreary soggy air. Just around the edges, the beam sparkled like diamonds glistening in the sun, but there was no sun today. It called out to him. **"Edward,"** he heard his name faintly off in the distance.

If this was giving up, then the light seemed to be a perfect place to seek out a peaceful refuge from the dismality of the rain, the finality of his efforts, and the pain of Bella not being there.

He slowly made his way down the ladder and trekked across the meadow, toward a more unknown section of the property, though he thought he had explored every inch of his parents' property while growing up in Forks. Through the difficulty of the terrain, he trudged forth, still calling out for Bella until he felt he was being propelled forward, almost carried there by another force that grew stronger as he got closer to the light's source. The light was like a mirror reflecting sunrays back at him, but more importantly, as he got closer and closer, it shone a path that was like a spotlight over a body.

Bella's body. It lay still, frozen.

No coat, nothing to keep her warm.

A blanket was tossed aside, drenched and half buried in mud beside her.

"Bella!" He ran to her side, dropped to one knee gallantly, rived her from the mud, and pressed her hard up against his chest. "Bella? Can you hear me? Open your eyes, look at me."

She fell limp in his arms.

He cradled her closer to his body.

"_Edward?_"

"Yeah, it's me Bella. I'm here, baby. I found you."

"It got so cold and dark, and I was waiting for you for so long. I thought I could hear your voice, but I couldn't understand what you were saying. I- I- was trying to make my way over here toward that light to look for you."

"Shhh, I know." He held her tightly and smoothed her wet hair away from her forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I got back here as soon as I could." He smiled in satisfaction against the rain droplets and all the odds he had faced as he rocked her slightly.

She weakly held up her pinky to him, "_Meadow forever_."

"No Bella, no more meadow forever. You can't stay here anymore."

"But you said. . ."

"I didn't know then. But I do now. You just don't belong in this world anymore."

"I-I belong with you," Bella insisted meekly.

Edward scooped her frail body up into his arms and used every ounce of him to stand. Trails of ruddy thin water washed away down her body.

"That you do, Bella. And I'll always belong to you. We can be together, just not here." There was a part of Edward that wanted to remain there in the meadow with Bella forever because he knew who waited for her in their real world - Mike. Despite what she had told him before, Edward couldn't be sure that Bella would still choose him over Mike, but what mattered most was that she lived, so that she could make that choice.

"I love you more than he does, Bella. No matter what happens, promise me you'll always remember that there's someone out there that loves you more," he told her as he touched his lips down to her cold, wet forehead, silently pledging his heart to her. Exhaustion had overcome Bella. He shook his head to clear the water in his eyes, feeling his soaked hair whip against the air, then turned to see which direction he needed to go. He took his first step back toward the area of the meadow from which he had always entered and left alone.

Today, for the first and last time, Bella and Edward would leave the meadow together.

**~oXo~**

_They say just before you die your life flashes before your eyes, a culmination of your days lived out leading up to meeting with your final destiny. _

_But Isabella Swan's flash was different. _

_When her family moved away from Forks years ago and didn't return, her destiny had been interrupted. Her life at that point could be described almost like a clock in a power outage. The interruption causes it to stop, but once the power is restored, the clock comes back on and continues to run and can even keep perfect increments of time in minute and hour intervals. _

_Still, the time of day on the clock itself needs to be reset in order to restore its alignment with the world. _

_Until it is reset, it is an inadequate representation of the true time in a person's life, a misguided destiny._

**~oXo~**

Esme had been instant messaging with her son.

**Is she there yet?**

**No.**

**No? Renee told me they settled her in yesterday.**

**There's a lot of stuff to do to get settled here, Mom. **

**I know. Your father just called. He loves you, you know.**

**I know. **

**So do I. We're both so proud of you. **

**I know, Mom. Luv U both 2. Thank him again for flying out with me. **

**I will. **

**You didn't tell Renee last time you spoke on the phone, right?**

**No.**

**And you're sure Mike is out of the picture?**

**According to Renee, when Bella woke up she was only focused on going to Harvard. **

**But no mention of me? :(**

**Sorry honey.**

**I'm not worried. I've got this. **

**I saw Tanya yesterday. . .**

**She ok?**

**I think she needs more time, but she'll be okay.**

**I didn't mean to hurt her.**

**I know. You have to trust your heart. **

**Orientation starts in 10 minutes. Closing down my netbook.**

**Good luck. Call me to tell me how it goes but don't push her.**

**I will. I won't. Bye.**

Edward had gotten to the large lecture hall early and strategically sat in the front row at the end nearest to the door, saving the end seat with his messenger bag. The calm texts to his mom didn't reveal how his heart was racing.

He placed his netbook in his bag and sat anxiously anticipating Bella Swan to literally walk back into his life. He looked down as he heard his phone go off. It was a text from Emmett. **Eddie boy, Go get her tiger. **Edward smiled to know his family had forgiven him for almost killing himself with a self-administered morphine [_over_]dose. They understood now that whatever he had experienced, though not tangible and certainly not backed by science or modern medicine, was miraculously more than a dream. It had been something real enough to him. What everyone in his family wondered was what part of it, if any, was real to Isabella Swan, the girl who had technically died, was resuscitated, and then went on to regain consciousness despite a dismal prognosis given by the doctors.

With two minutes until the class began, the orange glossy double doors could be seen opening but no one walked through them. He tapped chewed his pencil and tapped his foot. Edward looked down and started texting Emmett back when he heard a question apparently being directed at him.

"Is someone sitting here?"

He looked up into an angelic face, precise and vivid, the very same face he had seen smile and laugh amidst the sunshine of the meadow and sleep while hooked up to tubes and machines. Lips he had kissed until they were pink and swollen. Eyes that he had seen light up to see him and blurred and red from crying. Her _eyes_. He was finally getting to see them open, looking back at him.

"Umm," she scrunched up her nose and squinted her eyes, sensing he was probably saving that seat for someone. "It's just that I have this. . . You know what, that's okay. I can find another seat." She began to turn away remembering she had promised herself not to let her healing leg hinder her during these last two weeks she needed to remain in a cast and on crutches. And she definitely didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her.

_What? _

_He couldn't see her eyes anymore. _

_No wait!_

"Wait!" Edward said scooping up his bag with his left hand and motioning to the empty seat with his right hand. "Please, take this seat." He mentally slapped himself for not paying attention, clicked his phone off and tucked it into his bag.

"Are you sure it's free?"

"Positive," he smiled. "Here, let me get those for you." He stood up and waited for Bella to sit then took her crutches and leaned them gently against the wall, just far enough away that someone [_namely him_] would have to retrieve them for her at the end of the orientation session.

Edward sat back down. Before sticking his bag under his chair, he pulled out a pack of gum and popped a piece in his mouth. "Gum?" he held out the pack to her as he gave Bella a slight smirk.

"Sure, thanks."

As Edward held out the piece of gum, he positioned his pinky out slightly and humored himself as Bella's pinky lightly grazed his in retrieving the stick.

"Hi, I'm Edward."

"Bella Swan," she returned lively with a bright smile, expressing her enthusiasm just to be there at Harvard as she unwrapped her gum, folded the piece over, and popped it in her mouth.

"So, Bella Swan, extreme sports gone bad or summertime bar fight?" He put his fists up like a boxer and performed a small jab in the air as he winked at her.

Bella giggled and decided to play along. She had been answering the question of _'What happened to you_?' from various students for two days now, and his approach was a refreshing change. It didn't make her feel so vulnerable or render her emotional just at the mere thought of explaining it.

"It _was _a bar fight, but you should see the other guy." A huge grin graced Bella Swan's face.

Edward dreamily smiled back at her, hopelessly aware that this girl had his heart, as he replied, "I bet he never even stood a chance."

The two graduate students matched smiles to the outside world, but inside their hearts synched up and their souls [_re_]aligned, like the time on a clock being reprogrammed after a power outage.

_Luckily for Bella Swan, her destiny had a way of resetting itself._

~o~

**A/N: **

**If you are going to ask me if Bella remembers, the only answer I have right now is, "Do you think she remembers?" I may write something that answers this definitively at some point.**

**Let me just say that it has been my hope for a long, long time to have well-received FF story to post. I've loved doing this! It has been so thrilling. Thank you to all of you who took this journey with me, encouraged me along the way, and were so complimentary of this story. **

**If you have more questions, please leave them in the comments of my blog so I can answer them. In addition to the blog post, I'd like to share an alternate ending. One NO ONE has seen yet. Not sure if I will do it on FF or on my blog. I think FF has rules about alt endings so be sure to sign up for my blog. **

**Check out my completed storyboard and banner by Kassie on my profile page awesomely depicting the final meadow scene. **

**Also Creations by Jules made a second wonderful banner that she will post soon that highlights the story from beginning to end—SO COOL! So follow her wordpress blog too if you don't already! www . creationsbyjules . wordpress . com**

**Thanks again to each and every one of you! *holds pinky out* "Meadow forever?"**


	23. Exactly Where I'm Supposed to Be

**A/N: First, thanks to all who gave HCW a second wind recently by recommending it on The Lemonade Stand (Shahula), in their stories (DiamondHeart78), tweets (12monthers,Chi-Lyn and ChloeCougar), FB groups, and any other personal recs! It was even up for Fic of the Week on the Lemonade Stand in late March! Wow! That was pretty exciting. Thanks to everyone who went over and voted! Special thanks to the cilantro!**

**This is an alternate ending, ****definitely a little more 'Twilight Zone' like. Very different from the original.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but if I did, I would finish Midnight Sun. Like I said. **

* * *

><p><strong>Harvard Can Wait: <strong>Exactly Where I'm Supposed to Be

**Alternate Ending **

**Picks up from end of Chapter 22**

**~oXo~**

**~o~**

Tree branches snapped roughly just outside the tree house, and he picked his head up at the sound. As he looked around the tiny room, he saw where they had carved their initials into a wooden plank just under the nails and written _Meadow forever _in marker above a large arrow that was meant to point out toward the meadow_. _His eyes followed the invisible path of the arrow, and from his vantage point, off in the distant part of the meadow, by a section neither of them had ever entered from, he saw what looked like a flashlight beam shining beyond the trees. It was beautiful against the backdrop of droopy colors and the hazy soggy air. Just around the edges, the beam sparkled like diamonds glistening in the sun, but there was no sun today. It called out to him, seemingly the perfect place to find a peaceful refuge from the dismal rain and the pain of Bella not being there.

He slowly made his way down the ladder and trekked across the meadow, toward a more unknown section of the property, though he thought he had explored every inch of his parents' property while growing up in Forks. It was difficult to find it from the ground level, but he continued on, still calling out for Bella. He was propelled forward, almost carried there by another force, until he saw it. The light was like a mirror reflecting sunrays back at him, but more importantly, lying about five feet in front of it was her.

"Bella!" He ran to her side, dropped to one knee gallantly, rived her from the mud, and pressed her roughly up against his chest. "Bella?"

Bella lay clutching a blanket to her.

"Edward?"

"Yeah, it's me Bella. I'm here, baby. I found you."

"It got so cold and dark, and I was waiting for you for so long. I thought I could hear your voice, but I couldn't understand what you were saying. I was trying to make my way over here toward that light to look for you but I got so tired."

"Shhh, I know. I'm sorry. I got back here as soon as I could. I'm here now." He smiled against the rain droplets pelting them both as he rocked her slightly and stroked her hair.

She weakly held up her pinky to him, "_Meadow forever?_"

"No Bella, no more meadow forever. You can't stay here anymore."

"But you said. . ."

"I didn't know then. But I do now. You just don't belong in this world anymore."

"I-I belong with you," Bella insisted meekly.

Edward scooped her frail body up into his arms and stood. Water mixed with the dirt on her skin, trails of thin mud washing away down her body.

"That you do, Bella," he whispered to her as he touched his lips down to her forehead, silently pledging his love to her. He shook his head to clear the water in his eyes, sending his soaked hair whipping into the air, then turned back to see which direction he needed to go. "I'm taking you out of here to a place where we can be together."

As he trudged a few steps into the mud, it felt like it had become thinner, watery. Ten more steps and he was gripping Bella up higher realizing he was wading through ruddy water. The meadow had flooded, and the water levels were eerily rising before his eyes. He could still see the tree house, but the water had risen to the top of the ladder. If he and Bella made their way back, they'd end up swimming.

"Bella?"

Bella moaned slightly.

"Bella, how long has it been raining?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Can you see that?" Edward pointed toward the tree house. "See the water?"

"Oh my God! The meadow! Edward, put me down," Bella yelled over the gushing sounds of the water.

"No, I'm not letting go of you."

"Put me down. I can stand, I promise."

Edward complied with her request. "We've got to head back that way," Edward pointed toward the tree house, "but I don't know how we are going to get there."

The water rushed toward them, reaching as far up as their ankles.

"We have to get to higher ground," Bella cried as she grasped Edward's hand and pulled him in the opposite direction of where Edward was looking.

"Bella, no! The way out of the meadow is that way. We can wade up until that tree, and then we are going to have to both swim. We can climb up into the tree house until the water level rescedes." Edward was trying to throw his focus toward the tree, but Bella held firmly to his hand and dragged him along with each step she took toward higher ground.

Edward maintained a boy-scout survival plan, while Bella reveled in the feel of having Edward's skin against hers again. She had been so scared that she had lost her handsome man. She could hear his voice and tried to follow it. She swore she had heard him tell her that he loved her and to wake up, to which she had answered out that she was awake and waiting for him.

The water had become rough, rushing through the meadow like a flared temper, almost chasing them. She yanked on him further and further until they found themselves at the edge of the alighted area. The soft glow it threw off was a peaceful calm in contrast to the raged-filled meadow waters below them.

"We'll have to swim, Bella!" Edward yelled over the rain. "Don't worry, I'll help you. We're gonna make it back."

It was Edward's resolve and perseverance that had gotten him this far. He hadn't given up in the hospital, even if his father and Bella's own mother had seemed to. He was going to keep pushing forward to get back to where he thought he should be in order for them to be together.

He was still fighting _it_, but Bella had resolved that being there with Edward was enough for her. She silently thanked the heavens that the catastrophic waters had held off until Edward had arrived—had made his way back, back to her.

"Edward," Bella asked as she planted herself as best as she could in the mud at the top of the small hill they had scaled together. She could feel the warmth of the alit area; it reminded her of times past in the meadow, especially that first day she had met Eddie.

Edward continued to voice his plan loudly. "And don't worry, as long as we make it out of the exit, that's all that matters. The doctors and your parents and…." Edward paused at the thought of Mike being there. There was no way Edward wasn't going to fight tooth and nail to make it back. He wasn't going to just let Mike win by default. Here in the meadow, Bella and Edward belonged to each other but out there, Edward knew one of the first people she would see when she opened her eyes would be Mike and not him. "They're all waiting for you. My dad will be there to save us both, Bella."

"Edward," Bella interrupted calmly. He was talking gibberish about doctors.

"All you have to do is promise me that you'll chose me, Bella. Not him." He grasped her hands tightly and looked into her eyes like he could hypnotize her with that answer, empower her with a secret code word. "Harvard. Remember how much you want to go to Harvard. You'll get your chance to go. We'll go away to Harvard and be together, just like we talked about." He turned to look back over his shoulder, releasing one of her hands as he swiped again at his water-soaked hair that had fallen across his forehead.

Bella interrupted him with a softly spoken, "Edward," finally catching his attention as she placed her palm around his cheek, turning him to look at her, his back to the rising waters.

"Edward, I can't swim." Before he had a chance to respond to her confession, she stretched up to stand on the tip of her toes, fastened her hands around his neck, and pressed her watery lips against his firmly. Caught off guard, Edward's hands went to her hips immediately to steady her to him.

As their mouths sealed, passion as swift and strong as the water current in the meadow, coursed between them.

Souls were connected, hearts [re]aligned, and thoughts passed between the two in silent conversation.

_I found you, Bella._

_ ~I love you, Edward._

_I came back for you because I love you, too._

_ ~I was waiting for you._

_You belong with me._

_ ~No matter where?_

_No matter where._

_ ~Edward, we'll never make it out._

Bella tried to break the kiss, but Edward wouldn't let her. His arms clutched around her back, as he pressed every curve of her body close to his. Rain continued to fall down around the couple, too consumed with each other to realize their realm of serendipity-every remaining leaf, blade of grass, and tree branch-was being swallowed up around them, overtaken by the water.

Bella backed up a few steps, and Edward moved with her, too caught up in the feel of her lips and the taste he had remembered to break away.

_I can't lose you. _

_ ~You won't. Do you trust me?_

_Yes._

_ ~Hold onto me. Don't let me go._

Edward obliged easily, lost to how connected their lives were in that moment, as Bella gripped him and guided him backward further and further, continuing to kiss him against the rain that pelted down heavily upon them, until they had stepped into the warmly lit area.

~xOx~

_They say just before you die your life flashes before your eyes, a culmination of your days lived out leading up to meeting with your final destiny. _

_But Isabella Swan's flash was different because Edward happened to get caught up in it while he was unconscious. His presence shifted what she was shown and what she was allowed to experience._

_When her family moved away from Forks years ago and didn't return, her destiny had been interrupted. Her life at that point could be described almost like a clock in a power outage. The interruption causes it to stop, but once the power is restored, the clock comes back on and continues to run and can even keep perfect increments of time in minute and hour intervals. Still, the time of day on the clock itself needs to be reset in order to restore its alignment with the world. Until it is reset, it is an inadequate representation of the true time in a person's life, a misguided destiny._

~xOx~

She waved at the little blonde-topped boy she saw across the blooms of deep purple alongside it's lighter lavender, buttery soft yellows, pale alabaster petals with hints of pink, and bright hues of blue. The grass and flowers were at the perfect height and bloom. Some of the longer stems were almost as tall as her.

She fell backward, pushing over the delicate stems in an attempt to make a meadow angel and - though her momma would have warned her not to if she was there - glimpsed at how brightly the sun shone down over this most beautiful of places she could ever remember seeing in her life. A smile as warm as the air around her graced her face as she lazily sat up from the earthen mold she had created.

She waved again and giggled sweet laughter before letting herself flop back into the soft greens.

As he approached, it was the young girl who eagerly greeted them sans any hesitation. "Hi, my name is Bella, and I'm five years old. What's your name?"

"I'm Eddie. I'm five years old, too. Do you want to go play on my swing set with me? It is all the way on the other end of the meadow." The little boy pointed toward the direction from which he had emerged.

"Ugh, I have to walk all that way?" she asked dramatically throwing her hands out.

"Bella! Bella where are you?" a woman's voice called.

"Who's that?" Eddie asked.

"Oh that's my mom," Bella answered him. Bella bent down and plucked a few flowers. "I'm picking flowers for you, Mom."

Eddie bent down and picked a few flowers, when a thin woman with hair the color of Bella's appeared.

"There you are, Bella. You worried Mommy. I couldn't see you over the flowers." Bella's mom inhaled deeply, a smile adorning her face. _It's exactly as I remembered, _she thought.

"You said I could take a look around the backyard, Mom."

"Yes, but I didn't mean that far. Who's this?"

"I'm Eddie. Eddie Cullen, ma'am."

"Eddie Cullen! Of course you are! I know your Mom and Dad. I meant to call them and let them know we are moving back to the area. Will you let them know for us?"

"Sure! You mean you're gonna live here? In that house?" Eddie pointed to the white Cape Cod style house over the shoulder of Bella's mom.

"Yes, that's where we'll be living." Renee's mind was filled with memories from only a couple years ago of picnics in the meadow with the little boy who stood before her and his mom. She marveled at how much he had changed.

"And I live right in that house!" Eddie pointed to a yellow colonial farmhouse off in the distance behind him. "So we can play here all the time!" He looked to Bella who smiled in approval.

"And guess what? My brother, Emmett, just turned eight years old and my Dad says he's gonna build us a great big tree house all the way up high! It was just gonna be us playing in it but now you can play in it too."

"Wow, really?" Bella smiled to her mom and held out the flowers she had bunched together for her. Renee laughed to herself that there were twice as many lavender flowers in the bouquet than white or yellow. It was typical of her daughter.

"Eddie, is your mother home?"

"Yep, but not my Dad. He's at the hos_pitable_."

"Why don't you go back home and tell your Mom we're here, and we'll stop in later."

"Yeah! Yeah! Come on over! I can show you my toys. I've got cars and trucks. We can build a big huge track for them outta my blocks! Bye! I'm gonna go set everything up for you." Eddie waved as he ran back toward his house then stopped and ran back toward Bella. "These are for you," he smiled as he handed her the flowers he had gathered before running off. As he got closer and closer back to the steps of the yellow farmhouse, Bella could hear him singing happily.

"See Bella, moving here is going to be great! You already have a friend." Bella's mom stroked her daughter's hair and admired the strands of red that came out in the sunlight. "There is even some sun out today. I know it's going to be a big change, honey, but this is just where I've felt we always belonged." Renee worried about how well Bella would adapt to the move. Bella had seemed so detached while they lived in Phoenix. Renee had always attributed it to Charlie working such long hours on a special case. It wouldn't be like that here. Charlie's assignment had ended and, at Renee's urging, he put in to be relocated to the Port Angeles Police Department so they could move back to the NorthWest.

"Hey! Where'd my girls go?" a man's voice was heard closer to the white house.

"We're out here Charlie!" Renee called. Charlie jumped the last step down from the back door and casually jogged out toward his family. Upon reaching them, he scooped up Bella and tossed her around the warm air. Bella giggled a joyful, "_Whee_" as her Daddy made her fly high like an airplane and _motored_ for sound effects. Renee relayed meeting little Eddie Cullen and how they promised to stop in and say hello to Esme.

"I took a look around, and it seems like the couple we rented the house to did a decent job of keeping it up. I'll have to do some painting, but that won't take me too long," he told Renee as he finished swinging Bella through the air and then placed her down gently amongst the flowers noting that the purple colored flower would be perfect paint color for Bella's room.

"So, little miss, what do you think of Forks?" Charlie asked.

"I love it!" Bella answered him with glee thinking of the little boy she had just met. "I think it's exactly where I'm supposed to be."

_Luckily for Bella Swan, destiny had a way of resetting itself._

~o~

_Thanks for reading. _

_Reviews are cherished and appreciated. _

**_~o~_**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A few people have asked me about continuing the story on from the original ending. It's been started.**

**As my friend BellaTesoro pointed out to me, with a story like this, it isn't always necessary to clear up every detail for the reader. So if you are satisfied with what you took away from the story, that should be enough. If you want more insight into my thoughts as I was writing the story with the original ending, then feel free to read on.**

**Q: How could Edward be both young Eddie and the handsome man in the beginning of the story?**

**A: Just to clarify, Bella and Edward have NOT dreamed of each other over the course of their lives. The beginning of the story to the point where Edward woke up in the hospital was one continuous sequence. Both were unconscious at the same time. Their subconscious worlds overlapped.**

**Bella was about to die, and she was entering that stage of having her life "flash before her eyes." So the beginning of the story was the beginning of the 'flash.' But Bella's flash extended beyond just coding because Edward was there in that same unconscious state. **

**As it was, Destiny chose to show her an altered version of what her life could have been had her family returned to Forks when she was 5 years old, so that is why it included Bella meeting up with young Eddie (while still retaining the memories of her real life) and an unconscious Edward (the handsome man) was there to witness and experience it too. Adult Edward was not dying but he was caught up in Bella's flash. He tells Bella, "It felt like I was making up for lost time" which is exactly what he was doing up until he revealed to Bella that he was the Handsome Man. He was shown that the void he had always felt in his life was because Bella had been absent. He fell in love with her in the meadow—a mix of her filling the void he had always felt in his life due to her having never returned to Forks and the experience of getting to know her.**

**Q: Why did the meadow seem to be changing seasons?**

**A: As Bella neared death, the meadow was dying off too. **

**Q: Were Bella's parents calling for her at the end of the first couple of chapters?**

**A: Yes, in the hospital after they arrived.**

**Q: At the end of Chapter ****Sixteen Going on Seventeen, ****who said, **"Bella, I'm here babe. I can't tell you how sorry I am."

**A: Mike after he arrived at the hospital.**

**Q: Was the cop that busted Frank (the orderly) years ago, Charlie?**

**A: Yes. Frank saw Charlie in the cafeteria getting a cup of coffee and recognized him.**

**Q: Did I try to make you think the Handsome Man might be Eddie's Dad, Eddie's brother or a vampire?**

**A: Yes, because I'm evil and misleading like that.**

**Q: In Twenty-Two, part II why was the Handsome Man chuckling?**

"Eddie," Bella murmured to herself at the thought of him, wondering where he was. He would know what is going on with the handsome man.

The handsome man chuckled and gave a light squeeze to his embrace.

**A: Edward (the Handsome Man) was amused to hear Bella call him 'Eddie.'**

**Q: Was it really necessary to give Tanya a few classic Bella lines?**

**A: Yes it was, because I'm a braTT and evil. And your reactions to it made me laugh.**

**Q: Was the title based on the movie, "Heaven Can Wait?" **

**A: Yes! Sort of. You see, my husband suggested "Harvard Can Wait" as the title basing it on the story of the movie, "Heaven Can Wait," but he was really thinking of the storyline to the movie "Made in Heaven." He got the titles confused, but by then it was too late. I was already working the line into the story. A few of you savvy readers (ChloeCougar!) picked up on the play on the title and had theories based on it. I'm sure TwiloveSue won't mind me telling that her theory was that a terrible accident would cause Tanya to die just as Bella was dying but then Tanya is brought back to life, but her soul has already left her body (yanked out by an overly anxious Angel in heaven), so Bella's soul would be placed into Tanya's body. Then Tanya, really Bella, would have her work cut out for her to win over the family. _Interesting way the story could have gone…_**

**Q: In Knee-jerk Reaction who was Esme talking about here?**

"….and she was down there in the hall yelling how this was all his fault and they wouldn't have even been in Forks today if it wasn't for him. But you know I've seen it before, that knee-jerk reaction to blame someone. It all just comes from a place of feeling so helpless. So once she got that out of her system, I at least got her to make amends. And her poor husband, for as much as he has probably seen on the job as a cop, he's barely holding it together."

**A: Renee had been yelling at Mike. **

**Q: Did Bella hear Edward talking to her in the hospital?**

**A: She could hear him talking to her, but she thought he was calling her name and went looking for him in the meadow.**

**Q: Why wasn't Edward's act of "professing his love to Bella" enough to wake her in the hospital?**

**A: That would have been too easy, and I'm evil.**

**Q: What is my favorite line from this story?**

**A: In chapter Meadow Forever when Edward is so overcome with emotion over finding Bella but her not being awake and he whispers to her, "Bella, you let me love you there." Because despite knowing it was a dream, he felt it all. He knows everything he felt for her and with her was real. *sigh***

**Q: In It Will Rain who entered Edward's room at the end and cried out for him? **

"_Edward!_ Oh Edward, _nooooo_! What did you do!"

**A: Esme. Edward could barely hear his name as he was unconscious at that point and the rain in the meadow muffled her voice.**

**Q: Does Bella remember? **

**A: First I want to direct you to what FunmbiE wrote in her review because she explains better than I could why I left the story where I did.**

"but inside their hearts synched up and their souls [re]aligned, like the time on a clock being reprogrammed after a power outage."-_And this is why it doesn't matter whether or not Bella remembers Edward coming to her in the Meadow that last time. Because her soul recognizes him, and consciously or unconsciously, one could never, ever, EVER forget that type of love._

**Yes! The most important thing is that they are in at the same locale and no matter what hiccups might come up, Destiny has seen to it that they are back on track to being with each other in this lifetime. Thank you for your words FunmbiE!**

**Second, one of my favorite episodes of the show Angel inspired this story. It was only a few episodes in when Buffy first visits Angel in LA. Not long after she arrives, they are attacked by a monster whose inner goop is exposed and leaves Angel human. Buffy and Angel enjoy schmexing it up without the fear of Angel experiencing a true moment of happiness and going all "grrrrr" as Cordelia would say (turning into the sadistic vampire Angelus). The two of them enjoy time together as a couple but then Angel realizes that as a human he is weak and can no longer protect the innocent. He goes to the oracles and asks to be changed back to a vampire. The oracles reset the day to make it as if it never happened. Only Angel will remember, but when Angel tells Buffy the day will reset and that she will forget she insists she will remember. **

**The day resets and Buffy forgets. They relive the day with Angel being attacked, only this time he retains the knowledge of how to kill the monster immediately. Buffy leaves shortly thereafter. They part ways again, living separately.**

**But Buffy fans know that a couple years later, Buffy tells Angel that she remembers. ;)**


	24. Note of Thanks

Saying thanks to my HCW readers.

Since it's debut, HCW was up for Fic of the Week 3 times over at The Lemonade Stand, which is just way more than I ever expected out of my little one shot. I never even expected this story to be read beyond my overlapping circles of fandom friends. But I'm really tickled that so many people enjoyed this and as I prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, today seemed like the perfect time to say how I'm grateful to all of you!

Gratitude, TongueTwied style, would be keeping Rob for myself but sending you each out a ROBot to do as you please with (ala Spike's Buffybot) but since that's not happening, (like I'd have ANY TIME AT ALL TO SEND STUFF OUT if I had Rob all to myself LMAO!) instead I'm going to begin publishing a sequel to HCW.

I just want to point out that there is NO possible way to recapture the magic and momentum of the first one. (Well maybe a better writer than myself could) I took pride in HCW being a whole mindf*ck -I went out of my way to create it that way. I know that I could never, ever replicate that thrill of confusion, misleading author notes, abuse of TwiQuotes, and twists of the first one, so this one will be more straightforward.

Oh who am I kiTTing? There's gonna be tons of TwiQuote abusage in this one!

I hope you guys will enjoy how this story of E/B plays out, now that you know they both made it to Harvard. If you want to take the journey, I'll be setting this up as a new story. Tomorrow.

gobbles and gobbles of thanks,

kiTT


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